For the Fainthearted
by UnsightlyDreams
Summary: "Just how much can you change in a story already written?" It's one thing to be reborn in another place. It's another thing entirely to be dropped there without rhyme or reason. (OC-Insert)
1. Chapter 1

My vision blurred. Shapes swam around me, in swirls of grey and black and white and everything in between. The world felt like I was viewing it through discoloured, spoiled lenses, and there was this aching, pounding in my temple that refused to go away. Hell, I'd even venture to say I felt as if I was _dying_.

Someone was breathing loudly. It took me some time to register that it was me.

"Hey, hey! You're okay. Calm down, you're okay!" Hands fluttered to my sides, keeping me anchored. Somehow, my vision sharpened enough to see the worried eyes of a nurse (or doctor?) in scrubs. She managed a weak smile when she saw me.

"You're alive," She said, in the comforting bedside manner of someone who'd seen it all. "You're in Beacon Hills, right now. We found you in the Woods, at the edge of the Marten property." She hesitated for a few seconds before adding, "You saved my life."

I… _what_?

By then, someone else had shuffled into the room. The guy looked to be around a year or so my junior, with messy hair and really soft brown eyes. He wouldn't stop looking at me too.

The nurse turned around when the door opened. "Oh, this is my son, Scott. Scott McCall. He just… he just wanted to thank you for saving my life."

"Yeah… Yeah, I just…" He started speaking, but then the door opened again, and another guy came rushing in.

"Sorry to disturb, Melissa… It's just… Can I speak to her alone? Won't take too much time," The older guy added quickly, as if afraid the nurse would kick him out. "I just need to ask her a few questions."

The Sheriff jacket clued me in to what he was. But before that, he'd already started speaking. "Hi there. I'm Sheriff Stilinski. I just have a few routine –,"

For the longest time ever, déjà vu had been flitting through my head. The names, the faces… Hell, even the attitude. But this one took the cake. As far as I knew, there couldn't be a Stilinski in my near-vicinity. Such names were almost unheard of.

"I'm sorry," I blurted out, stopping him mid-way, "Where did you say I was? And what's the date?"

"Beacon Hills. Today is January 1st, 2011. So, as I was saying…."

It was too late. I had already blanked out.

 **{X}**

How do you convince yourself that you've woken up in a fictional town, in a fictional place? Hell, in a show _you stopped liking once it crossed the fourth season?_

The worst part was that I _couldn't_ fucking remember. I couldn't remember where I'd been, or what I was doing before that. I couldn't even remember _how_ in the world I had saved Melissa McCall's life.

So when Sheriff Stilinski came back the next day. I told him a story of a girl with lost memories, a knack of being clumsy and of not knowing where her phone even was. He promised to circulate my photos and use his contacts to find me my parents.

When he asked me my age, I very pointedly said: "17".

I had turned 18 two months ago.

 **{X}**

"I'd ask you to fill these out, but since you barely even remember anything…" Mrs. McCall trailed off, eyeing the papers in her hands with something akin to trepidation. There was something brewing in the back of her eyes that I could see from my spot on the bed. After some time, she kept them aside and turned to me, wringing her hands. "Look, so Scott and I were thinking… Since you have nowhere to go… We could, I mean, if you don't mind, _you_ could stay with us till the Sheriff figures out a solution to your problem."

For a moment, I didn't know what to say. I _knew_ there was no solution to my problem – it was _impossible_ there'd be a solution to my problem. I'd read enough stories about girls who passed through worlds. Often, they were the Heathers, or the Cassandras who changed the Plot, and turned it to the better. They shaped the world like it was putty in their hands.

I… didn't even have a game plan beyond the usual ' _Survive'_.

So I traced the flowers on my bedsheet for a long, long time before looking up. "I'd like that, Mrs. McCall."

There was relief on her face, mixing in with the pity I saw so often for the girl that had been ripped away from her life. But she didn't say anything – just held out the forms for me to write my name and give a vague signature.

It took me some time to register there was another person in this equation.

"What about Scott?" I asked, once the realization had hit. "He won't mind, right?"

"He's the one who suggested it, actually," Mrs. McCall said, fluffing up my pillows and helping me upright. "Also, he said he'd visit you once he's done with… whatever the hell he's up to."

That was… surprisingly nice. I mean, in general, I _knew_ that Scott was a nice person, but to see it in person was something else entirely. Silence reneged between the two of us until Melissa finally picked up the papers I had signed my name on and paused.

"Madison… Carter?" She looked up. "I didn't know you remembered your surname."

I shrugged loosely. "It took me some time but… It somehow fit, y'know?"

"Amnesia can be weird," The papers were stuffed into her handbag. "Anyway, we'll be discharging you in probably a day. This time tomorrow, you'll even be home."

"Thanks, Mrs. McCall," I muttered, before picking up the glass of water on my bedside and busying myself with it.

For some reason, I couldn't help but feel…. Content. Which was weird because….

Because it wasn't like I'd wanted to be here.

Right?

 **{X}**

Scott visited me sometime after his mother had left. I say visited, but it was more like he'd stumbled into my room, closely followed by his bosom bud.

And yes, Stiles was really hot in real life too. I almost felt like begging him to change his style just a bit – Lydia would definitely have come running.

"Hey!" He called out once he'd entered the room, effectively catching my attention from the book I'd been reading. "Sorry I'm so late… We were just –," The two eyed each other in a way that suggested they'd done the same many, many times.

"Doing homework," Stiles finished for him with a large grin. "Nice to meet you, by the way. I'm Stiles. Stiles Stilinski."

"Madison Carter," I shot back, giving him a small smile of my own. For some reason, their appearance left me feeling slightly shy. "But you can call me Maddy, if you want."

"Yeah, I know. You're my dad's newest pet project, and no, ahh, that definitely doesn't mean what it sounded like. My dad's like, the Sheriff," Stiles trailed off hurriedly, as if afraid of making the wrong impression. I considered rolling my eyes, but it meant effort and I still hadn't healed, so that plan was shelved rather quickly.

Instead, I just mumbled a few words in the affirmative, waiting for someone to pick up the conversation again.

Which Scott did, after a few awkward seconds.

"Yeah, so, I don't know if Mom told you, but you'll be attending Beacon Hills High School with us."

"It's pretty great," Stiles added, "And you'll have us, so like…"

It was a pretty sensitive thing to say, for a boy at least, and it left me feeling weird again. I _really_ needed to stop thinking of them as characters, especially now that they were real – _blood and flesh_ real – in front of me.

"What about the paperwork?" I asked after they were done speaking, and Stiles rubbed the back of his head lazily.

"Dad's handling it. Seriously, don't worry about it."

"Alright…"

There was silence for a few more minutes until I remembered something important.

"Scott… How did I save your mother again?"

It wasn't a question he'd expected, because he looked slightly taken aback. Then he smiled, sort of. "There was this… disturbance on the road. I mean, Mum found out about it later, and she was going really fast. You just… showed up, so she hit the break. If you hadn't…"

"If you hadn't, she might not have realized, y'know? She might have gone straight into the water."

That was odd. So very odd. I wasn't even aware Beacon Hills had a water source.

"Where did you say I came from again?"

"The woods," Stiles said cheerfully, taking a seat on my bed. "You came through the woods."

 **{X}**

"So this is it," Melissa announced, opening the door to my new room. "It isn't much, but we can go shopping later and you can buy whatever you'd like…"

"It's perfectly fine, Mrs. McCall, seriously…" I must've been frowning, because she picked up on it real fast.

"Don't worry about the money. The town has a fund."

Which, again, was precisely what I'd been worrying about, so finding out this alleviated some of my tension. It felt sort of like I was mooching off of her, but then again…

Ugh, this was complicated

"Any preferences for dinner? Scott's having the leftover pasta, but if you want –,"

"The pasta's fine. I just…" I turned around to give her a small smile. "Thanks a lot for doing this, Mrs. McCall. I know you didn't have to."

"Nonsense." Her smile was really warm. "I know how foster care works in this town, and I couldn't really have it on my –,"

"Mom!" Scott yelled from somewhere below, and after a few hasty apologies, she ran down the steps to see what he wanted.

Meanwhile, I ventured into the room, picking out the odd things on the shelves. When I saw the worn copy of Pride and Prejudice, I smiled before taking it down.

Some things, at the very least, never changed.

 **{X}**

 **A/N: I can't even.**


	2. Chapter 2

The night before school, I woke up crying.

It was like a jerk – one moment, I was asleep, and the next, I was touching the tears on my face and desperately trying to remember what my parents looked like. Their faces blurred in my mind. Occasionally, Dad's almost-brown hair would be replaced by Mom's blonde tresses, and their features turned into one another, forming an endless melody of noses and eyes and ears. It took me sometime to even remember their names.

That was when I stumbled out of bed and pulled out a fresh notebook, trying to sketch the faces as quickly as I could. I had never been the best artist – but the point wasn't to be the best artist, it was to _remember_.

It was to never, ever forget.

My thoughts drifted midway as I checked the time, assuming that at this very moment, Scott and Stiles were in the Woods, searching for Laura's body. Scott would get bitten soon. He'd come back in a daze of his own memories, with a bite that would miraculously heal itself.

To be fair, some part of me wanted to save Scott from this madness. It wanted to barge into his room and demand that he stay in by threatening to tell Melissa.

But the truth was…

Better Scott than the alternative. Better Scott than _any_ alternative. He'd proven he could handle this long ago – when he'd replaced Gerard's pills with Mountain Ash and effectively saved everyone.

Contrary to popular belief, it wasn't _easy_ letting him take the fall either. Over the days, I'd grown closer to Scott. I'd even become comfortable with him. Hell, I'd even _spazzed_ the way I was wont to do during a random brain freeze and he'd just laughed along at my misery, making me instantly at ease in his presence.

I shut the notebook with a small frown and went back to bed.

 **{X}**

After Melissa had dropped us to school, I rounded on the boy in question immediately, hands on my hips.

"Where were you last night?"

Scott looked up from where he was checking out something in his bag in surprise. "Excuse me?"

"I came to your room last night. You weren't the –,"

"Hey, favourite people!" An arm wrapped was around my side as Stiles grabbed Scott with the other. "What's happening?"

"I know Scott wasn't in his room last night," I informed him with a lift of my brow, biting back a smile when he made a whole show of saying _Shit_ loudly. "Mind telling me what you guys were up to? You know, for future references?"

"Ah, well, we…."

"So you remember how my Dad is the Sheriff, right?" Stiles took over quickly, dropping his arm to come stand in front of me, "Apparently, get this –," He leaned closer to whisper theatrically. "They found a _body_ in the Woods last night."

"And obviously, you had to go investigate," I said with a shake of my head.

"Yeah, _obviously_. But then my dad caught us – I mean, he caught _me_ , I totally like, covered for Scott and then I was hauled home. Don't know what happened after that." Stiles raised one eyebrow. "Mind filling us in, buddy?"

In lieu of a reply, Scott raised his shirt slightly to show us the bandage. "Yeah, I got bitten. That's what happened."

Stiles, predictably, tried to touch his wound and Scott stepped back with a wince. "Dude!"

"Yeah, yeah. Hands to myself, got it."

"Anyway, it was too dark to see much, but I'm pretty sure it was a wolf."

"A wolf bit you?" Stiles asked, exchanging a meaningful glance with me.

"Uh-huh."

"No, not a chance."

"I heard a wolf howling," Scott said mildly.

"No, you _didn't_."

I'd been totally cut out of the conversation. Hell, if there was a camera panning towards us, it'd just be Scott and Stiles with the weird brunette hanging in the background. I was 99% sure none of the viewers would've liked me anyway.

I busied myself with checking out where my next class was until Stiles jerked me out of it by pushing on my shoulder. "Maddy, are you even listening? He found the body! Dude, that's like… the best thing to happen to this town –,"

Lydia walked past, assaulting me with her too-sweet perfume.

"Since the birth of Lydia Martin!" Typically Stiles, he blundered on instead of quitting while he was ahead. "He- _ey_ Lydia! You look like…like you're gonna ignore me."

At my entirely too-amused face, he rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, not meeting my eyes. "Not a word, okay?"

"I didn't say anything."

"You were _thinking_ it."

"No, I wasn't!"

It might've gone on like that forever had Scott not grabbed my arm. "Alright, enough you two. We have class. Want us to drop you to yours?"

I applied in the affirmative and followed them into the building. It was when we were going in that I spied something vaguely black at the corner of the building.

Well, it looked like Derek knew who the new beta was long before Scott had gone stumbling into the Woods.

 **{X}**

Classes were… normal. Like, I knew I should've probably felt something more than utter apathy, but I was too busy thinking about what was coming after. I was slated to go back home with Stiles and Scott, and knowing the show, they'd gone to the Woods first so…

God, I hope Derek couldn't hear the lies I carried in my heart. He wasn't exactly my favourite character, no matter how pretty the actor playing him had been, and I really didn't think I was _ready_ to meet him yet.

But predictably, as I heard Stiles gleefully recite Scott's encounter with Jackson in lacrosse, I couldn't make myself say yes to their offer to drop me home first. That's how I ended up in the Woods once again, watching as Stiles made fun of Scott's theory of being a werewolf, all the while knowing that he'd be eating his words soon enough.

 **{X}**

"I swear it was right here!" Scott exclaimed, kicking the dirt around us with his scruffy sneakers. "I saw the body, the deer came running… I even dropped my inhaler."

As Scott bent down to inspect the ground, I wrapped my arms around myself. It was _cold_. The show never showed that.

"Maybe the killer moved the body."

"I hope he left the inhaler," Scott said in response, meeting my eyes with a wry grin. "That thing cost 80 freakin' bucks."

My eyes drifted too casually to the trees, when -

"Oh my –,"

It was him. Obviously, it was. I _knew_ it'd be him. But he appeared so _suddenly_ – my heart was still recovering from that assault.

"What're you doing here?" The three of us exchanged quick glances, and almost subtly, Scott moved in front of me. I just about managed to not roll my eyes at the move.

"This is private property," Derek continued, now close enough for me to get a good look at his green eyes and pale skin. Jet black hair framed his super-symmetric face. Some people just had all the luck in the looks department, I thought enviously, pushing myself off the tree.

Before Stiles could reply, I found myself speaking something that had bothered me from the very start.

"Is it, though?" The words came rushing out my mouth before I could stop them.

Derek raised his eyebrows coolly. Embarrassment coloured my cheeks at the impromptu words and guessing it was too late to back down, I shrugged before picking loose threads from my shirt. "Well, um… There isn't a sign or a boundary or anything. How were we supposed to know it's a private area?"

What I said probably wasn't something he'd expected, because he only blinked before taking a step forward. It wasn't threatening or anything (or at least, _I_ didn't think it was) but Stiles automatically rushed in to fill the silence.

"Ignore her, man. She's like, a victim of amnesia and stuff. Guess she forgot her manners too." He laughed nervously. "As you may have guessed, we didn't really know- _know_ it was private, so…"

"Yeah, we were just…looking for something, but…"

At the second sarcastic eyebrow-raise of the moment, Scott continued after a pause. "Forget it…"

Derek merely looked at us once more, finally coming to a stop when his eyes fell on me. Something calculative burned in his eyes – like he hadn't added me into the equation yet and hadn't really expected the development.

Then without a word, he threw the inhaler at Scott before striding away.

"O-kay then," I said, breaking the silence. "I guess we should –,"

"Dude! That was Derek Hale! You remember him, right?" Stiles said suddenly, whirling around to face us. "He's only a few years older than us!"

As far as I knew, Derek was maybe two/three years older than me? My real age, that is. Since I was currently masquerading as a seventeen year old, you could perhaps add a year more to that.

"Remember what?" Scott asked, shoving the inhaler into his back-pocket.

"His family? They burned to death in a fire only like, a few years ago."

"Well, then what's he doing back?"

Stiles merely shrugged, as if he couldn't be bothered. The two trudged forward while I stumbled behind them, still looking at the spot where Derek had disappeared. The whole incident had left a weird aftertaste in my mouth.

I hadn't…

I was still reeling from the fact that they weren't characters anymore. Flesh and blood, I reminded myself, taking one step after the other.

Somewhere, Peter Hale was probably getting ready for the Full Moon.

 **{X}**

My newly minted locker was slammed shut by excited fingers. "Maddy! Hey!" Stiles, decked in full lacrosse gear, shifted on his feet. "You're coming for the selections today, right?"

"Yep," I raised the book in my hand. "I came prepared too."

"What? Seriously?! You're bringing a book to what is the most anticipated day of the year? Where's your sense of adventure, huh? Where's the support?"

I promptly rolled my eyes, slamming the locker shut. "Well, I considered making a banner for you, but that _may_ have been too much."

"Yeah, no shit." Falling into step beside me, Stiles wagged his eyebrows suggestively. "You might even find someone you like, y'know. Someone to help forget the pain of amnesia…."

"Well, I don't know…" I paused before adding airily, "Are you offering?"

My words must've totally shocked the poor guy, because he actually stopped mid-walk to gape at me. His mouth opened soundlessly.

Grabbing him by the sleeve, I started pulling him along. "I was _kidding_. Jesus, don't look at me like that. I'm not going to maul you anytime soon."

"Yeah, ha-ha, kidding, obviously," His laughter was tinged with nervousness and a healthy amount of embarrassment. "Sorry, I just didn't expect it…"

"Clearly," I added, stopping in front of the locker room. "This looks like your stop. Good luck!"

"Yeah." He must have recovered from the shock of my ill-timed joke, because he straightened imperceptibly before beckoning me closer and pointing to someone in the locker room. "How about maybe you fall for that guy there?" He was pointing at Jackson, I realized a second later. "And steal him from Lydia so I can swoop in and mend her broken –,"

"Stiles!"

"A joke! I was just joking! Though seriously, I wouldn't mind at all if you actually did, you know…"

"Shut up!"

"Shutting up, Ma'am. Right now, in fact."

Laughing, I pushed him into the room.

 **{X}**

Try-outs went as expected. Scott was brilliant on the field, while Stiles looked on worriedly –

Wait a minute.

Stiles looked worried. Stiles looked worried because Stiles had already figured out that Scott may be a werewolf _and Stiles hadn't mentioned the same to me._

It hurt, sort of, that he wouldn't even think of mentioning his problems to me. But then again, I thought with a rueful grin as I slammed my book shut and made my way towards him, he was a much-loved character to _me_. To him, I was just the odd girl shacking up at his friend's place.

So I forced that smile to my face and patted him on the shoulder.

"Hey, so remember those remedial Chemistry classes I'm taking with you guys? Mind if I come over for a bit to check out your previous notes?"

Something dimmed behind his eyes, but he nodded nevertheless.

Sitting down primly beside him, I opened my book once more and proceeded to ignore the world.

 **{X}**

"Something's wrong," I announced as we exited the library, several books in Stiles' hands that he had stuffed into his bag instead of showing to me. "You're hiding something."

" _Wha-at_?" He pointedly refused to meet my eyes as he started the jeep. "Nothing's wrong! What would be wrong? I mean, everything's perfectly –,"

I raised one eyebrow.

With a groan, he rubbed one hand over his face. "You're gonna think I'm crazy."

"Try me," I urged, tapping my nails against the dashboard.

The words came rushing out of him in bursts and pieces – Scott was never great at lacrosse, Laura had wolf hair on her body, how he thought that maybe, just maybe, Scott was actually bitten by a real live werewolf, never mind that nobody had seen wolves in California in over sixty years.

When he mentioned trying to stop Scott from going to that party with Allison, I pledged my help. In reality, Scott going to the party didn't _actually_ hurt anyone, least of all him. But…

Stiles cared. And Scott wasn't just another character anymore. And I couldn't just stand by and do _nothing_.

So after extensive searching through books, through the web, when Scott came over, I decided to help Stiles take a more… logical approach.

"It's okay to take a precaution, you know!" I burst out, all the while picking up errant books in Stiles' room. "I mean, if you cancel, I'm sure Allison won't mind!"

"Yeah dude! Like… Schedule it for another day. Just not, you know, _the full moon_!"

"What's wrong with you guys?" Faced with our collective (and slightly more mellow assault), Scott threw his hands into his hair. "Like, I know Stiles is crazy, but you too, Maddy? Are you even hearing this?"

"It makes sense!" I shrugged helplessly. "Look, like Stiles said, the full moon is when –,"

"I have the urge to kill. Yeah, I heard. Do you seriously think I'm capable of _killing_ people? Actual, live people?!"

"You probably won't be in your senses when you shift," I said in what I hoped wasn't a too patronizing tone.

"Never mind that!" Stiles grabbed Scott's bag from his shoulder before pulling it away. "I'm calling Allison right now and cancelling the date!"

"No, _don't_ –,"

My warning came a tad bit too late. Scott grabbed Stiles' arm before pushing it to the back and shoving him towards the table. As opposed to the show, he didn't exactly raise his arm to punch his best friend, but he did slash at the chair with a loud growl.

All of us froze.

When Scott rushed out of the room, Stiles dropped his face into his hands and let out a loud groan. Despite having no hope of actually changing the situation, I felt like doing the same.

 **{X}**

"Nothing to wear?!" Stiles seem scandalized by the very suggestion. "How can you be thinking of what to wear at a time like this?!"

"Stop dramatizing things," I said distractedly, still trying to root in my cupboard for something suitable. "I meant something to wear other than the same clothes I wore to school, which, by the way, are now dirty."

"I repeat, what difference does it make?"

As I stood in front of my cupboard, I somehow realized what a valuable opportunity this was. Which, in hindsight, I wasn't supposed to be realizing at a time like this, but still. "Stiles," I began, finally pulling out a relatively newer top, "Can you do me a favour?"

"I'll do you one as soon as you get dressed. Now c'mon, hurry up!"

Rolling my eyes, I instructed him to turn away before stripping down. To his credit, he seemed only mildly scandalized that I would change in the room with him.

"Okay, I'm done," I announced a few seconds later, throwing my hair into a haphazard ponytail. "As I was saying," We all but swept down the stairs and into his rickety jeep. "The favour. Promise me you'll stop cutting your hair."

The jeep rolled down the porch while Stiles turned to face me, an incredulous look on his face. "What?"

"Stop cutting your hair. Look, I swear, this cut isn't doing you any favours." I rubbed my fingers against his shorn hair while he tried to twist out of the way. "Maybe it'll even help with Lydia–,"

"Done. Done, done, done," The mention of Lydia, obviously, removed whatever little doubts he had about my scheme. "You really think she'll notice me, then?" He checked himself out in the mirror. "I mean, she has this thing with Jackson…."

Truthfully, I had no idea about what to say to that. The show had taken the Lydia-Jackson-Stiles triangle to a different level altogether. I mean, what if Jackson never left? It wasn't like the actor who was playing him wanted to go to another show – this was a legit person we were talking about. With _feelings_.

Or so I hoped.

To be fair, I hadn't even spoken to either to the three yet – Lydia, Jackson or Allison. I only shared Chemistry classes with them, and that too because I needed the extra help. Aside from that, we had different breaks, and the only other time I saw them was during lacrosse practise. Hell, Allison probably knew me as the weird girl living with her boyfriend.

I finally settled for a cryptic: "You never know…" Then: "So what's the plan, by the way? We just storm in there and drag Scott out by his furry tail?"

Stiles whirled around to face me once more with a shocked expression. "You think he'll have a tail?!"

"Dunno," I muttered, enjoying the situation a little too much. "Wolves generally have tails, right?"

"Yeah, but… Whoa, I never thought about that!"

"You sound _way_ too happy about this, dude."

"Think about this from my point of view, Mads." _Mads_? "If he does have a tail, he'll never be able to live it down!" With those words, Stiles broke into loud, gleeful laughter. After a minute of shaking my head, I even joined him.

"I feel I should warn you though," I added, my voice lower than before. "I uh… have this word-vomit problem in huge crowds."

Stiles made a big show of looking up in exasperation. "I change my mind. Lydia's _never_ going to notice me – not till I keep hanging out with you losers anyway."

But fondness coloured his words, so I only settled further into my seat with a smile.

 **{X}**

Scott met us at the front door, Allison in tow. "Hey guys…" Some aftereffects of the afternoon must have lingered, because he wouldn't quite meet my eyes. "This is Allison."

Allison really was pretty, I noted with some amount of interest. I'd always liked _her_ character. She had deep black hair, and really porcelain, pale skin. No wonder Peter was enamoured, I thought with a small smile as I waved at her, not trusting myself to speak just yet.

"I'm Stiles," Stiles said, snagging a glass from a nearby table. "And this here is Maddy. She has amnesia, so like, she'll probably forget who you are in like, two seconds –,"

Allison clearly took his words to heart, because she stared at me in surprise and some pity, while I punched Stiles' shoulder, shaking my head. "Don't listen to him. He just likes making people uncomfortable." It was also a way for him to hide his _own_ uncomfortable, but I obviously wasn't about to tell her that.

"Oh," Allison said, looking between us and clearly unsure of how to proceed.

"Guys, seriously?" Scott asked, rubbing the back of his neck. He looked highly embarrassed to be friends with us. Seriously, he hadn't even heard my impromptu and completely accidental innuendo dropping yet.

"You should go," I said, putting him out of his misery. "Stiles and I are just gonna… hang around."

"Yeah. If you need us," Stiles raised his glass, smiling, but his eyes were completely serious. "Call us, okay?"

They left, and as they did, I saw Allison slipping her hand into Scott's. Biting back a smile at their cuteness, I looked around. It was a ridiculously typical party. I could barely stop myself from rolling my eyes at the scene. Music, illegal alcohol, _lots_ of grinding….

I stared at the scene for a little more before shaking my head. "Okay, so I think I'm just gonna go sit in the jeep –,"

But Stiles wasn't even there anymore.

And by not there, I actually meant he had disappeared.

Resolving to slap his face the next time I saw him, I shuffled indoors, ignoring the looks my casual jeans and even more casual jacket was getting. I could even hear some girl giggling behind me as I turned to the left, finally spotting Stiles in this group with Lydia in it.

I say group as a loose, more like _not true_ term – he was basically stalking whatever circle Lydia stopped to flash her face at.

There was really no other option apart from hanging around, I thought dismally after carefully weighing the alternatives. I hadn't thought of packing any books, and Scott didn't look like he was going to phase anytime soon, so…

 _Although_ … Derek would be around somewhere.

The thought refused to leave my mind. As I made my way further indoors, towards the pool, I could remember vaguely that he'd been around _somewhere_. Someone had even seen him, I think? Although who it was had slipped my mind entirely.

But then again, I shouldn't be looking for Derek in the first place. Werewolves had an inbuilt lie detector, and if there was someone who would be sniffing all over my story, it would be him. Girl ends up in the Woods, conveniently saved Mrs. McCall's life and is staying over at their place? Even to me, it sounded dodgy. Again, all this had happened before Scott had become a werewolf, so maybe he'd give me a pass?

Fat chance of that happening, I realized when I spied something black at the corner of my eye.

When I turned around, predictably, there was no one there.

 **{X}**

I had found a somewhat comfortable spot on the stairs when Scott came stumbling out of the house, Allison and Stiles hot on his heels. Guessing it was time to get back into action, I joined them at the curb, watching as Scott opened his car door before speeding away quickly. When Stiles met my eyes, I nodded towards his jeep, and he ran towards it without a second thought.

It would've been over relatively quickly had Derek not chosen that moment to intervene.

"Allison."

We both turned around. Derek's green eyes gleamed in the dark. With a start, I realized his skin was even paler than Allison's.

"I'm a friend of Scott's." As Allison looked uncertainly at the empty driveway, he strode forward to stand in front of her directly. "My name's Derek."

Indecision warred on her features until her eyes fell on me. "Hey… You don't have a ride either, right?"

I very pointedly refused to look at Derek, even though it felt as if his gaze was burning holes into my skin. "It's cool. I'll, uhh… Hitch a ride with someone else."

"Not to be rude or anything," Allison pulled at her jacket awkwardly, "But Scott sort of mentioned you hadn't made any other friends yet."

"I'll walk." I said firmly, still refusing to look at Tall, Dark and Emotionless.

The words made Derek snort lightly, and when my eyes fell on him in surprise, he grabbed my elbow and began steering me along to his shiny black Camaro. "No offense, Madison, but it isn't exactly _safe_ to be wandering alone at night."

Especially not at full moon went unsaid.

"Who told you my name?" I blurted out, suddenly irritated with him. Then I snatched my hand back. "And stop touching me."

"Scott did," Derek said amiably, opening the backdoor for Allison like a gentleman. When I made a move to clamber in alongside her, he pointedly opened the side-door, his hand right next to my head, blocking my way. He was close enough for me to smell the overpowering scent of _male_ and _dangerous_ rolling off of him. I looked up at him, bristling – but there was a challenge in his eyes and it was too soon to do anything.

"Allison," I said, strapping myself in, "Do me a favour and text Stiles that we're grabbing a ride with Derek. I don't exactly have a phone yet, so…"

"Yeah, okay," She murmured, and seconds later, I could hear the sound of her typing furiously on her keypad. Then Derek started the car and we were rolling along the road. I'd give him this – his ride sure was a lot more comfortable than Stiles' rickety jeep.

"So uhh…. Madison –,"

"Maddy."

"Maddy," Allison continued, and I could see her eyes flicking between me and Derek uncertainly in the rear-view mirror. "You're a year older than us, right?"

"Maybe," I said, instead of just agreeing outright and letting Derek _realize_ something was wrong. "I mean, I don't…"

"Oh, yeah… Sorry about that." Allison, thankfully, covered up for me. "I've seen you in our Chemistry classes though."

"I did real badly in Chem," I admitted, opening the buttons of my jacket because it was hot in the car. "So I opted to retake that class."

Allison nodded in response, before falling back into her seat. Then her house came into view and she stepped out quietly. She surprised me by turning around and asking me to text her once I reached home. I nodded.

And then I was alone with Derek Hale.

Just the mere thought made my heart skip a beat, and I _knew_ he had noticed because his hands tightened on the wheel for a fraction of a second.

The silence between us was _killing_ me. I didn't have too many expectations of what Derek would say/do, but the quiet was almost forcing me to blurt out something I knew I'd regret. To distract myself, I pulled off my jacket and began folding it, desperate to give my hands something to do.

Derek turned towards me. In anticipation, I slammed my eyes shut.

"If you want, I could –,"

"Why are your T-shirts always so tight?" I exclaimed, not letting him finish the sentence. His right hand, on its way to switch on the AC _for me_ stilled and he turned to look at me with a raised brow. My cheeks coloured.

Stupid, _stupid_ mouth.

"Um… I mean, it's just something I've noticed," I added, feeling the sudden urge to bang my head against his dashboard. Way to make it sound like I had checked him out. "Not… that I notice you or anything. I just… I'm going to shut up now." Utterly mortified, I looked at the window, refusing to even see his face.

He didn't chuckle or anything, but I heard him cough slightly, and to me, that sounded like he was covering up for a laugh. At _my_ expense.

There was silence for a few more moments, until very casually, Derek opened his mouth.

"Your friend may be right. Perhaps amnesia did cause you to forget your manners."

I promptly whipped around to stare at him, slack-jawed.

How… _rude_!

"This is your stop," Derek said after a few seconds of me sputtering at him soundlessly. Something vaguely amused shifted behind his eyes.

"You…"

Unable to come up with a suitable adjective, I threw his door open before storming out. As his car moved away, the headlights finally reducing to pinpricks in the dark, I realized I had forgotten my jacket on the seat.

Resisting the urge to groan, I turned towards the house, only to see Melissa at the door, eyeing me speculatively.

"Hot date went wrong?" She asked as I moved through the door.

"He's not hot," I said, before realizing that Melissa was giving me a look that screamed _liar_. I changed my tactics.

"He was a jerk." It felt oddly satisfying to call him that out loud, especially after the beating my nerves had taken just around his very presence. I had thought I could handle the pressure…

Clearly not.

"Oh honey…" Mrs. McCall's voice was increasingly sympathetic as she wrapped a hand around my shoulder in solidarity. "Aren't they all?"

Well, I couldn't quite argue with that.

 **{X}**

 **Also known as the chapter where Maddy decides to change something she considers very relevant to Mankind - The state of Stiles' hair.**

 **Jokes aside, thank you everyone who gave this story a chance. This chapter is for you.**

 **Also..**

 **Reviews, pls?**


	3. Chapter 3

My jacket wasn't in my locker the next day.

Which was really, really odd, because as far as I remembered, Derek had rather graciously stuffed Allison's in hers. Of course, he'd probably done it to piss Scott off, but still. Or perhaps it had taken him a day more to do the same? I couldn't quite recall the exact details.

Speaking of Allison and Scott, they were about ten paces to the right, conversing. Scott's brown eyes were ridiculously soft at the very sight of her.

Young love, I thought, rolling my eyes. Then my face fell as I remembered something.

Last night had been… odd, in more ways than one. It had taken me a long time to go to sleep, and Scott's very empty bed had done nothing to help. In fact, I had found myself worrying whether I had somehow changed the Plot without trying to. Of course, when I next saw Scott, he was standing nonchalantly in the school corridor, looking smooth as hell for someone who had spent his night howling at the moon, and some part of me had exhaled in relief.

"Hey Maddy," Stiles found me staring blankly in the hallway. He promptly gave me a bemused look. "You look like you're thinking too hard."

"Hmm?" He followed my gaze to Scott and Allison and raised a brow. "Oh, I was just wondering… Did everything go well last night?"

"We-ll. Turns out, my best friend really is a wolf. He doesn't have a tail though."

I let out a weak chuckle, and even to me, it sounded forced.

"Are you sure you're alright? You look rather pale. Did…" Stiles peered cautiously into my eyes. "Did Derek do something?"

"No," I muttered, shaking my head. Then suddenly, Scott was at my elbow, still staring darkly at the spot where Allison had disappeared.

"Dude, you okay?" Stiles blinked at his sudden appearance. "What's wrong?"

" _Nothing_." Scott ground out, before turning to me. "Why does Mom think you're dating Derek?"

"I'm _what_?!"

"I popped in for a change of clothes this morning," Scott explained, hands crossed tightly around his chest. "She's worried about you dating older men now."

That was… ridiculous. Once again, nervous laughter started brimming in my throat. "He only dropped me home," I said finally, after ruminating on whatever I could say. There weren't many options, from where I could see. I slammed his door shut and your Mom thought we had a lover's spat? His car is very shiny? I was probably red from sheer mortification and annoyance when your Mom saw me?

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. You and Broody?" Stiles cut in the festering silence with his usual tact. "You know, I can actually see it, somewhat. You'll have babies that read books while being serial killers–,"

"Stiles!"

"Totally calling him your boyfriend now," He said with a wide grin, ignoring the punch I sent to his shoulder. But if there was one thing Stiles' rambling did well, it was that it deflected Scott from whatever dark route his thoughts were taking.

As we walked down the hallway, he finally deigned to open his mouth.

"I attacked Stiles today."

So _that_ was what was troubling him. I'd almost forgotten about the lacrosse try-outs.

"Dude, that wasn't –,"

"And hurt Jackson."

To be fair, I was slightly surprised Scott was even telling me all of this. I didn't think I ranked highly on his list of people to trust.

But then again, with the amount of people that were going to know his secret soon, it wasn't much.

Like the best friend he was, Stiles jumped in. "Because he deserved it."

"I couldn't control myself," Scott continued, almost as if he hadn't heard him. "I almost killed my best friend today. And now, I found out Allison's dad was the hunter who shot me yesterday –,"

Deciding I should intervene with a sufficient amount of surprise, I frowned at him and asked him just what had happened.

The story poured out of him in bits and pieces.

But at least it took his mind off the fact that he had tried to kill Stiles.

 **{X}**

I holed myself in my room as soon as I went home, preferring to study as opposed to going to Scott's to discuss recent developments. I felt bad for him – I really did, but this was probably when Derek would stop by to threaten him not to play, and I wasn't in the mood to see the guy. Hell, if I saw him, I'd probably be tempted to poke him with a fork.

And no, that wasn't a subtle way implying something else. I meant that literally.

But the Derek situation did send my brain into a rush of thoughts – thoughts that mostly revolved around Peter and Lydia. I was sure of the fact that even with my presence, they'd manage to kill Peter. What I wasn't sure of though… was _how_ exactly Peter had chanced upon Lydia. His back-up plan, he'd said. But for that to happen, he needed to have known who Lydia was beforehand. She couldn't just be another girl he'd chanced upon in the field.

Another thing was Peter coming back.

Which, if I was being honest with myself, could be avoided.

Did Peter do much in the show anyway? I didn't think so – aside from supplying Scott with the digital bestiary.

Which, to be fair, I could easily stumble upon while making rounds of the Hale house.

But for that to happen, I needed a legitimate _reason_ to be in the Hale house. A reason to go calling on Derek before conveniently stumbling on his stairs and loosening the board with my steel-tipped toes.

And finding a reason to meet Derek wasn't very high on my priority list, if I was being honest.

Though he _did_ have my jacket. And unless he returned it tomorrow, I could very easily go skipping to his house and demand he give it back. He probably wouldn't kill me for being too contrary.

But first, I needed to be friends with Lydia.

And to be friends with Lydia, I needed to go shopping for cool clothes.

 _Ugh_.

 **{X}**

"Having fun, Miss Carter?" Mr Harris' cool voice was really giving me a migraine. It didn't help that my experiment simply refused to work properly – instead of seeing green fumes, I was currently frowning at the brown sludge at the bottom of my test-tube. "While I admit allowances must be made for your amnesia, allowances _cannot_ be made for your lack of ability to comprehend simple instructions."

"Sorry sir," I bit out, dumping the contents in the basin. "I'll be more careful next time."

"See that you are. You don't want to repeat this class one more time, am I right?"

 _Asshole_.

Unsurprisingly, Harris' attitude always brought out the worst in me.

"Yes, Miss Martin?"

The words made my head snap up to where Lydia was sitting, an innocent smile on her face.

"I can help her, Sir. Madison's probably just a little lost." At Harris' contemptuous nod, she gathered her items and made her way to my desk before smiling widely at me. "I absolutely _adore_ the skirt you're wearing. I'm Lydia, by the way."

"Madison," I said, moving aside to give her some room. "But you knew that already."

"Oh, yeah, we've all heard about you. Must be _terribly_ tragic to have lost everything like this." Her sparkling eyes met mine calculatingly. "But it's not like you remember anything anyway, so…"

I only felt like grinning a bit at her words. Lydia was the same Lydia of the show – blunt, forceful, tactless. Or perhaps she simply didn't care about social cues. It wasn't my position to judge. She'd have enough on her plate soon enough.

So I only nodded, playing along. "That's true. Scott and his mom have been really nice to me thoug –,"

"Oh yeah! You're living with Scott." With almost careless grace, she poured some acid into the tube. Behind her, Stiles was watching with his jaw agape. He'd been the first to comment on my transformation, as he called it, before wondering if my boyfriend had asked me to shed the tomboy image. For that, I'd pinched his ear until he'd squealed. "So what's this I hear about Scott not playing the game on Saturday? He's not being serious, right?"

Ah, gossip. The meeting point between so many teenage relationships. My skirt could only do so much in attracting Lydia to me.

"I actually have no idea about this." Officially, I didn't. Still, it was hard mustering some kind of drama for the occasion. Lacrosse was really low on my list of priorities. I caught Scott's eye briefly before frowning at the redhead. "Did he say why he isn't playing?"

"Nope," Lydia popped her _p_. "I thought you'd have some idea… considering how you're like, living with him?"

In all, it was a very tactful way of probing. Rather not Lydia-like – I'd expected her to come storming in, all guns ablaze. Still, after my newfound paranoia concerning questions (courtesy of one Mr Derek Hale), I found myself bristling and snapped with a little more force than I liked. "I'm not his _mom_."

"No, of course not." There was something speculative in Lydia's gaze as she turned to look at me. Then she flipped her hair back in a casual show of ditziness. I found myself wondering what exactly she was thinking. Maybe she was just judging my uneven eyeliner. "A bunch of us are going out after the game. You should come with." Clearly, she considered the conversation to be over because she all but slammed the tube back into the stand before whipping out her cellphone.

I, however, wasn't quite done.

"Mind if I bring someone along?"

"Mm-hmm," Not paying attention, she pouted at her cellphone screen.

"Great." I gave Stiles a casual thumbs up.

Being Stiles, he responded by falling off of his chair.

Very smooth, I thought, choking on my laughter.

 **{X}**

Scott met Stiles and I in the corridor just as I was telling him the fact that I'd secured him a one-on-one with Lydia.

"We have a problem," He announced, grabbing both me and Stiles to pull us to the corner. "Derek stopped by yesterday."

"Whoa, really?"

"I didn't hear anything." It was true, I didn't. Not even a slight thump as Scott's head connected with the banister, which I knew for a fact had happened.

"What'd he say?" Stiles urged in a whisper.

"He said I can't play the game on Saturday."

"What?! Why not?"

"Because he's worried you'll phase on the field?" I gave Stiles a small nudge in the stomach to make him focus. "That's… a legitimate worry."

"I can't _not_ play, Madison!" Scott almost shouted at me, making me take a step back. Next to me, Stiles frowned.

"Dude, you don't have to shout at _her_."

"I'm not! I just… This is so frustrating!" He bundled his fists over his eyes. "If I don't play, I'll lose both Allison and first line!"

"I'm guessing you already spoke to the Coach then," I mumbled, shifting on my feet. To be fair, I had a long list of reasons as to why he _really_ shouldn't play, but I wasn't sure if Scott was ready to hear them.

"And Lydia! She's introducing Allison to all the other boys on the team! I can't lose her!"

"Look, calm down," Ever the voice of reason, Stiles placed a comforting hand on the other boy's shoulder. "I'm sure we can work something out."

"It's not just that…" Scott added, looking conflicted. "Derek stopped by to drop Allison's jacket in her locker today. I think I'm gonna go see him."

And he still hadn't given mine back? Un- _believable_.

… Was it because it was leather? Did he have a _thing_ for leather? He sure wore it a lot.

"We have class," I said mildly after a few seconds of expectant silence, but there wasn't really anything behind my words. I knew Scott would go regardless.

"I'm still going."

Yep, he proved it.

"I'm coming with you then," Stiles looked determined. "You can't just go into his lair all on your lonesome. What if it's a trap?"

Whoa, this conversation had _not_ happened in the show.

To be fair, I didn't know what difference it would even make if Stiles went with him. The most I could see happening was that Derek would become even more annoyed – Stiles always did have this amazing talent of pissing him off.

He wouldn't hurt him or anything, right?

Again, it was surprising how easily I could doubt the very same characters I'd seen on the show. Characters I'd once thought I knew inside-out. But now they were _real_ people. People with their thoughts and motivations and ideas. I shifted slightly on my feet, dropping my eyes to the floor.

"You can't," Scott said, taking out his phone to check the time. "If we both go, some teacher is bound to notice."

"Yeah, but –,"

"I'll be fine, Stiles. Derek won't do anything to me."

"If anything goes wrong, you text us, alright? We'll be there. I don't care how scary you think he is. We can take him. Right, Madison?"

Stiles' hopeful tone was inspiring, but Derek was… _Derek_. Still, I only shrugged. "I have a steel frying pan," I offered, laughing slightly when Stile crowed in glee and wrapped an arm around my shoulder.

"Alright, fine," Scott nodded at us. "I'll see you round, kay?"

Then with a cautious glance at the corridor, he strode out of school.

"Say Maddy…" Stiles began, still looking at Scott's retreating back, "Shouldn't you be going to see your boyfriend – ouch! Hey! That hurt!"

 **{X}**

Ironically enough, I found myself sitting opposite Boyd during lunchtime.

It wasn't something I'd orchestrated on purpose – I'd been milling around and it was one of the few empty seats, and to be honest, if I could maybe save him by being his friend, then I was all for it. Friendship was the least I could offer to someone whose future included being tortured repeatedly and then being impaled by his alpha's claws.

It was just kinda sad just how surprised he looked at the fact that someone was taking their time to sit with him.

"Hey there," I greeted casually, slumping into my chair. Part of my thoughts were still with Stiles and Scott, and whether I was open to go grave-digging with them. Then I remembered that I'd promised to make brownies for Melissa – she'd confessed to having an incorrigible sweet tooth at the dinner table and I couldn't help but offer.

"Hi," Boyd's voice was a forgiving, deep rumble. "… You're the new girl, aren't you?"

"The amnesiac," I cracked a grin. "Yeah, that's me."

"Forgot your way to the other tables then?"

There was something in his voice… Something hopeful, and yet resigned. It struck me, with the sort of swooping feeling that comes with that realization, that he'd actually _expected_ to spend his life alone, making circles around skating rinks and generally having a sad time.

And that was just…

"I don't like being around people," I confessed after a pause, pulling the worn copy of _To Kill a Mockingbird_ from my bag. Predictably, his eyes shuttered into themselves. Then I slammed my book back in. "But you seem like someone I'd enjoy talking to."

"Oh?" He shifted slightly on his seat. "You in the habit of making deductions on people you've barely just met?"

That startled a laugh out of me. Considering the amount of effort I spent analysing my TV shows, it _was_ funny that he'd say that.

If only you knew, Boyd. If only.

"Well, you're making me laugh. That isn't a bad start."

The shutter behind his eyes finally lifted as his lips quirked slightly at the edges. It wasn't a beautiful friendship yet, but I had hopes.

When my eyes drifted to the window, I saw Isaac scurrying to his class, head bowed. Somewhere, I was sure, Erica's soul was weeping.

 **{X}**

Melissa's old phone pinged.

 _We found something at Derek's. Coming?_

I wiped my hands on my jeans and considered for a bit. Then my new boss yelled something incomprehensible from behind a shower of boxes and I lunged forward to help him. It took me a few seconds to check my phone again, and by then, Stiles' had pretty much blown up my inbox.

 _Madddddy_

 _Reply_

 _Omg if you don't reply in the next 10 secs, we're totally going to meet your boyfriend without you_

 _FINE WE'RE GOING_

And finally, at the very end:

 _If he ends up arrested, it's totally your own fault remember that._

At least he was being honest about his intentions.

"You better hurry up," Boyd whispered from across the room, his eyes trained on the bossman. "He's in a bad mood today."

 _I'm working. I have a job now. And please please be safe. BOTH OF YOU BE SAFE._

 _P.S: Don't do anything stupid Stiles. – M_

I could almost hear Stiles' indignant shriek at the last line. Pushing my phone back into my pocket, I went back to lifting the heavy boxes. It was totally worth it when, as he passed, Boyd's eyes smiled down at me.

Maybe, I hoped, maybe, he'd be less susceptible to Derek's (un)healthy manipulation now.

It was cold enough in the skating rink to make me resolve to pester Derek for my jacket the next time I saw him.

Or barring that, asking Scott to do the same for me.

 **{X}**

I came face-to-face with a shirtless Scott when I went down to fix myself something to eat.

"Mum home?" Were the first words out of his mouth, before his lips went down. "Derek killed the woman in the Woods, by the way. We found her body next to his house. Stiles' dad is on his way there now, and Mum can't know –,"

"It's a small town. She'll find out eventually," Before he could protest, I raised my hand. "But she isn't here right now, so…"

"Great," He picked up a shirt from the laundry bag, ignoring my pointed _ew_. Then he paused to look at me. "You wanna come?"

"To see Derek getting arrested?"

"Sure," He shrugged loosely. "Anyway, at least I can play the game on Saturday now."

Despite being an all-round nice guy, it was surprising how selfish Scott could be on occasions. Still, like I was one to talk. I shifted uncomfortably on my feet when I remembered that Derek still had my jacket.

Perhaps Scott's wolf-senses could sense me weakening, because his puppy-dog eyes drooped. "C'mon Mads. If you're coming with me, I can take the car and stuff."

That was actually true. For some reason, Melissa trusted me a lot more than she trusted Scott. Hell, she'd even given me free reign of her car. Maybe it was my age…

Or maybe, I amended when I saw Scott's baby face, it was because of Scott's remarkable tendency to be extremely self-centred at times.

"I'll come. He has my jacket anyway…"

Scott seemed only slightly surprised by the disappearance of my jacket. According to him, Derek did things _only_ to piss him off. Of course I took mock-offense at the fact and we spent half the ride bickering about my apparent lack of self-preservation – after all, I was the one who had willingly entered his car.

Sheriff Stilinski only rolled his eyes exasperatedly at our appearance. "I see cavalry's arrived," he remarked dryly as Stiles bounded towards us.

I managed a quick wave at him before Stiles pulled us to the corner.

"We need to talk to Derek."

"What?"

"Yeah, dude, we do." Stiles bobbed his head quickly before turning around to see if anyone was listening. "Remember that wolf we saw? She was a proper wolf – and I know you can't do that bud, so we have to find out what's different about her!"

"Do we _have_ -have to? Like… We could just let it be."

Predictably, nobody was interested in my input. When Stiles mentioned sneaking in to the squad car, I sighed. I _knew_ I was going to regret the next words out of my mouth, but they tumbled out anyway.

"I have a way in…."

 **{X}**

"You want to _what_?!"

I flinched slightly at the surprise in the Sheriff voice. He gave me a pointed ' _are you batshit crazy'_ look. It wasn't nice having your favourite character look at you like that.

"Yeah, um… I just want to… speak to him." I ended lamely, very aware of the fact that Derek could probably hear every uneven breath I was taking.

Something like suspicion crossed the Sheriff eyes before they widened. "Is _he_ the guy Melissa was telling me about?"

I… what?

"You're seeing _him_?!"

 _Oh my god_ , too many people thought I was dating Derek in this town. Stiles was probably never going to let me live this down.

But I could use this. Like it or not, I could use this. Hell, this might even give me a private one-on-one with Derek.

So I schooled my expression into something more suitable. "Yeah, um… I'm dating Derek." At the Sheriff thunderous look, I hastily continued. "But I'm going to break up with him now! He's like… a killer." I couldn't stop myself from wincing as the last word dropped from my lips. "Plus… he has my jacket. Please, Mr Stilinski! It'll only take a moment!"

"Alright, fine," The Sheriff finally exhaled after perusing me for a few seconds. Then he raised one finger. "You go in, you give him the news, ask about your damn jacket and you come back, alright? No funny business."

As I'd expected, the Sheriff was too nice for his own good.

"Yes, sir."

"And Gods forbid, Carter, you try to help him –,"

"He killed someone, sir!"

The words made him nod approvingly. "Remember that." Then before I could process whatever had happened, I'd smoothly slid into the seat and come face-to-face with a certain unstable werewolf.

Hell, if glares could kill…

"Hi!" I burst out with far more cheeriness than the situation warranted.

Derek raised one eyebrow. "Come to give me the bad news, _darling_?"

Instantly, I coloured. It was a mix of embarrassment, the way he'd said the word and just… it was _Derek_. He wasn't _supposed_ to go around dropping pretty names. "Yeah, okay, so you obviously heard that," I rallied myself, leaning forward and trying to ignore the fact that Derek was _still_ exuding danger. "Okay, so first off, dude, you still have my jacket."

"And you're hiding things."

I recoiled. "Excuse me?"

"You think I'm just gonna believe it's a coincidence? That you show up in the Woods, and five days later, my sister _dies_ –,"

 _Of course_ he was questioning me. I didn't know why I'd expected any conversation with him to go otherwise. "Oh? The woman in the Woods was your sister?" I pretended to tap my chin thoughtfully. "From whatever I've heard… _You_ killed her."

For the record, I wasn't usually this petty, but if it would throw Derek off my scent, I was all for it

And Derek lunged forward.

There was a moment – an honest to God moment – where I actually thought he'd kill me, consequences be damned.

It wasn't a pretty moment.

The sheet separating us rattled almost as loudly as my heart had.

" _Listen to me, Madison…_ " The words ripped out of his throat in a growl. "Scott's going to play that game on Saturday and he _is_ going to phase on that field. We both know that. He might even _kill_ someone. Don't you think that warrants more concern than your missing jacket right now?"

He was right. Of course he was right.

Because… they weren't _just_ characters anymore. How many times would I have to remind myself of the fact?

"He'll be fine," I forced out, biting my lip. And he _would_ be fine. I knew this. It just wasn't a nice feeling to see Derek scowling at me like that. "He's got me, and Stiles and –,"

"Yes, he's got humans. Humans who have _no_ idea how to deal with a werewolf –"

"Oh? As if you'd be more help?" Especially after I knew Derek's brand of help was _terrorizing_ Scott in car parks and forcing him to stay away from Allison. Dude probably meant well – he just didn't think most of the things he did through.

It didn't help that he looked like a serial killer on most days.

"I can _teach_ him how to control himself."

I couldn't stop myself from quipping back. "Taught many in your heyday, huh?"

Maybe it reminded him of Paige, because his eyes shuttered into themselves. He leaned back into his seat slowly, green eyes boring holes into my soul. "Get out."

"What?"

"I said… Get. Out."

"Derek –,"

The car rattled again as he slammed his fists against the sheet, startling a scream out of me. Then the door flew open and the Sheriff all but hauled me out, muttering things beneath his breath. I caught ' _knew it was a bad idea'_ before everything blurred into itself.

Scott and Stiles rushed over to us. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." I forced a smile. "We just… broke up."

 **{X}**

I ended up leaving early after the game on Saturday. Derek would stop by sooner or later, and I just… _couldn't_. Hell, I left before Scott had even phased on the field, citing a weak stomach as the excuse. Allison and Lydia had looked only slightly disappointed before turning back to the field.

When I reached home, Melissa took one look at me and stopped midway to her room.

"Maddy…" Her voice was cautious. "We need to talk."

 **{X}**

 **A/N: The one where Maddy's best intentions are overshadowed by the fact that she still subconsciously thinks it's just a show.**

 **Review, pls. seriously, they help me churn out chapters faster. Tell me how you think Maddy can impact the show, if she's too cavalier about things, or even if she's plain annoying.**

 **(Review replies shall be dealt with at a later date. Still, i love y'all! )**


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Sorry for the extra alert! Just needed to edit something.

 **{X}**

"First off, where were you? The match ended long ago!"

I blinked. Frankly, I'd expected her to open with something far more sinister. Then my eyes fell of the conveniently-there clock. It was just like the movies.

"I've been out for three hours?!" Jeez, time sure flies when you're busy contemplating life and how you may just be ruining other lives. "I was just… walking." In a crowded supermarket. Where no Alpha/Beta/Omega/Anything would show his face.

As far as excuses went, it was weak, but Melissa bought it. Her pose shifted from the bannister to straightening upright. "Fine. Fine, just don't be out too late next time. There's a curfew and everything. Honestly, don't you kids care?"

"Nope," I popped, grinning slightly as it reminded me of a different scene, "but do go on."

She rolled her eyes. "I actually wanted to speak to you about boyfriends," Melissa continued, and unbidden, hysterical laughter bubbled inside me. Here I was, worried about destroying plot points and ruining lives, and she wanted to talk about my love life?

Like I'd even have one, I wanted to argue. Pshh.

"What about them?"

"The Sheriff… informed me you've broken up with Derek Hale." She crossed her arms sternly. If I were to guess, she was channelling a parenting book. "He also informed me that Derek's been released from prison."

Immediately, my figurative hackles rose. "Really? Did _not_ know that."

"Madison…" Melissa almost groaned. "Look, I'm trying to be a decent guardian, alright? All I'm saying is… no more dating older, hotter men."

"I'm glad you think he's hot." Which he was. Inarguably. "But no, I don't plan on dating him again anytime soon."

"Really?" She almost sagged with relief before realizing she was breaking character. "I mean, good. And you aren't… allowed to either."

"I'm not allowed to date Derek?"

"You aren't allowed to date anyone who's a potential criminal."

"If he's been released, it means all charges against him are dropped." I pointed out. I should've probably been easier on her, and I liked Melissa a whole lot… Just… She'd caught me at a bad time. Besides, I hated it when anyone referenced to my apparent love history with Derek. Stiles barely went two minutes without mentioning it at least once.

Moody and Broody, apparently, was the new nickname.

"Just… Ugh. Stop arguing, _please_." When I raised my hands, grinning, she sighed, leaning against the wall. "How've you been, otherwise? I haven't had much of a chance to speak to you. ER's been busy."

"I got a job at the skating rink. It isn't permanent yet – he said he'd call to confirm."

"Good. That's good." Her face pinched slightly. "You know you can always come to me if you need more money, right? I mean –,"

"I know. And I will." Feeling terrible, and yet not, I added: "Do you mind if I go to my room now? I just… have to rethink a few things."

"Oh. Of course! I have to be at the ER in…" She glanced at her watch. "I have to be there right now, actually. You kids be good, 'kay?"

I hummed in reply, already busy making my way up the stairs. When I passed Scott's room, I saw he was out cold. Must be hard, being a winning jock.

Yeah, I was being really bitchy tonight.

But if there was something my long, long walk had led me to conclude, it was this: I'd try my hardest. In everything. And pray everything would work out. Really, was there anything else I could do?

…

Yeah, I thought not.

 **{X}**

It was pathetically funny when my new Boss informed me – via text, that too – that my services were only required on weekends. Clearly, I hadn't made much of an impression on him.

But, that left me free for other pursuits.

Namely, Dr Deaton's clinic-variety of pursuits.

All in all, meeting Derek in the police van had… shaken me. There was the matter of my still Missing Jacket, but there was also the matter of my _knowing_ things. Things that hadn't changed much in the time I'd been there. Luckily enough, nothing much had happened after Scott's lacrosse game. There was this certain group date a select few juniors would be going on today, but aside from that, nothing.

Oh, and Chris would threaten Derek. No biggie.

And Scott would think he'd killed a bus driver. Couldn't do anything there either. I'd pretty much skipped that scene when I'd slept in late.

Frankly, I could do with a little regrouping. My strategy was falling apart before it had even started – Lydia knew who I was, but we weren't close friends yet. I couldn't find time to talk to Isaac or Erica, and there was this lingering doubt that even if I spoke to them, could I change anything?

Or would Derek simply find someone else to turn?

Or hey, would Peter even be defeated?

Choices, choices.

I shut my locker, frowning, unaware of the fact that Lydia was standing right in front of me until she snapped her fingers.

"Earth to Madison," She called out, red lips glaringly obvious against her fair skin. "Whatcha thinking?" Behind her, Allison gave me a small wave.

"Hey." I promptly pasted a welcoming smile to my face. "Nothing, really. I was just wondering about –,"

"So you remember how you took a rain check on our plans this Saturday? Well, you can make it up to us today."

Allison's brow puckered, and I had a sudden feeling that Lydia hadn't run this plan by her. Honestly, it was weird that Lydia was calling me to their hang-outs at all – we'd barely spoken. I was guessing she wanted something. I mean, as far as I knew, she developed that weird… power thing she had with Scott later.

And the only thing I could offer currently was that I lived with Scott.

"Today?" I asked, in an effort to stall her as we slipped out of the school doors. "I actually have… something."

"Cancel it," Queen Bee said airily.

"Lydia!"

"What? I'm serious. Look, it'll be fun and you can even bring someone!" Lydia spun around on her heels to give me an onceover. "We totally need to give you a makeover though! What happened to that cute skirt you wear wearing that day?"

"I burned it," I deadpanned, grinning when Allison tried to bite back her smile.

"Oh, come off of it," Lydia rolled her eyes. "I know it's a thing to pretend you don't care about your clothes, but trust me? You'll feel a lot better when you're wearing something… nicer."

"I don't mind cute clothes," I informed her, still wondering if I should hitch a ride with them. "I just don't have the money for it."

And cue to the awkward silence.

"We, um, didn't mean to –,"

"Take mine." Not one to let awkwardness dissuade her, Lydia flashed a bright smile at me. "You're about my height and size, just a bit taller. I have a few clothes I've been meaning to give to a charity."

" _Lydia_ –,"

"What? It's true. You don't mind right, Madison?"

"No," I almost laughed as I shook my head. "No, blatant honesty doesn't bother me."

"See?" Lydia gave Allison an ' _I told you so'_ smirk. "Well then, now that that's settled…"

"I still can't come with you guys tonight," I interrupted, raising my hands. "I have a job interview."

"Interview where?"

"The Animal Clinic."

"That's where Scott works." Allison pointed out, ignoring the speculative look Lydia gave her. "I thought the vet there had it covered?"

"Scott works there three nights a week. I'm hoping to fill in on the other three."

"But you're already working at the skating rink. Don't look at me like that, Lydia – _Scott_ told me."

"Huh. You and your boyfriend sure spend a lot of time discussing Madison." It wasn't exactly a bitchy move, but Lydia sure was aiming for something. I had a feeling this was it.

Well, if she thought she could use _me_ to sow discord among what was arguably my favourite couple – she had another think coming.

"She comes up occasionally," Allison said almost defensively.

"I work the skating rink only on weekends," I interrupted before it could devolve into an argument. "But I could use the money, and Scott said Dr Deaton could use the help." Hell, I'd even pestered him until he had agreed to recommend me to the Druid. "Win – win."

"Mm-hmm," Lydia hummed, spinning around on her feet. "But don't expect us to let you off easy next time, Maddy."

That did make me crack a smile. "I'm counting on it."

"I'll text you about the clothes," She added, "You want a ride to the Clinic?"

"I think I'll take a walk. Work those muscles."

The two sashayed away. I could vaguely hear Allison giggle as Lydia mentioned something about Scott, but my eyes were fixating on another individual at the end of the sidewalk. It was as good an opportunity as any, I mused, striding over to where Isaac stood. "Hey there," I said casually, hopping up the sidewalk so we were eyelevel. Somewhat.

"Hi," Isaac said shortly. His eyes were narrowed. "Do I know you?"

There was also a huge bruise lining his face. It covered the span of his right eye to cheek. It explained the wariness in his eyes and my heart clenched in sympathy.

What it didn't explain was how I'd never seen him in Chemistry class. Yes, so far, we'd had only around 2, but that still didn't explain it. Maybe he sat at the back?

Speaking of, I hadn't seen Erica there either. Maybe I was just that unobservant.

Or maybe, I thought a tad guiltily, I'd been too busy trying to pretend nothing was happening around me.

Isaac was still looking at me. Hurriedly, I composed myself. "Nope. I was just wondering… What happened to your face?"

"Lacrosse practise," He answered shortly. The answer sounded rehearsed. Or was it just because I knew? No, I corrected myself. The shape of his bruise gave it away. He'd been backhanded.

"Oh…" I paused. Then: "Do you mind giving me a ride? To the Clinic? I don't have a car yet –,"

I'd thought it had been a fool proof plan all the way until Isaac started yelling at me. "Did they send you here?! Do you think it's funny?!"

What the actual hell?

"I'm sorry, I don't know –,"

"Get away from me!" He pushed past me roughly – almost too roughly for a guy who I knew was being physically abused at home. Hell, I'd expected him to be meek and nice when faced with someone. This was… unexpected.

Obviously I rushed after him. "Isaac! Hey –,"

Mistake Number Two.

He whirled around, hands clenching his backpack tightly. "They sent you here, didn't they? Thinking it would be funny? Haven't you heard?! It isn't funny!"

He stalked off again. This time, I didn't follow him.

"Hey! Smartass!" One of the guys I sometimes saw in the hallways stared me down. "Haven't you heard? Bunch of juniors did a number on his dad's car today. Heard Daddy's been real pissed."

Oh.

Well, fuck.

Because… As much I knew about Lahey – the adult Lahey – it meant that Isaac wouldn't get away scot-free. In fact, it would probably involve an out-of-order freezer in an attic. And that was… I shouldn't be interfering, I thought guiltily, even as I whipped my cellphone out to text Deaton.

 _Will be reaching slightly late. Have a few errands to run. Sorry, Mr D!_

But hey, who was going to stop me?

Besides, if I was planning to change the Plot, I might as well go all in

 **{X}**

"Madison!" Dr Deaton called out upon seeing me. "Come in! I've been expecting you."

"You… know what I look like?" I asked, dropping my bag to the floor.

"Scott might have described you. Brunette, short, has a tendency to wear jeans and sneakers…"

"Me to a T," I grinned, moving across the counter to stand next to him. "So is there anything you'd like to ask me?"

"Just one question," He tapped the cage next to him. "Are you good with animals?"

"I'm… decent," I offered, trying to remember my pet dog. "I mean, I can't quite remember, but I think we had a dog once."

"It doesn't take much to work at a pet clinic. You just need to love animals."

"I do! I do love animals. It's just…" I winced slightly. "I'm not too big on blood. It makes me… squeamish."

"I don't think that will be a problem," Dr Deaton smiled down at me. "Now, shall we discuss timings and your pay?"

Naturally, when he switched on the light to the backhouse, all the dogs started barking. Dr Deaton didn't even flinch as he led me down the hall.

I did, however, see him assessing me when he thought I wasn't looking. I wondered what he made of me – the girl who just turned up.

Nothing good, I was sure.

 **{X}**

There were a few messages waiting for me once I was done discussing things with Deaton.

 _Wanna hang out tonight? I think I need alcohol. It's NOT fun being left behind._

 _Hey Maddy! Heard about the job. Sucks, but at least we can work together on the weekends._

 _Running late today. Mind picking up groceries? Shop near the petrol station is usually open till 8. Don't be late._

In order, they were from Stiles, Boyd and Melissa. I sure was popular. When I glanced at the clock, it was already seven.

"Damn it," I muttered, forming hurried replies.

 _Sorry bud, have homework. You're on your own for tonight._

 _Yeah, thanks._

 _Okay._

Eloquent, I mused, once I had sent them. But it was too late to take them back. So I shoved my phone back inside my bag as I made my way to the open mart. Above me, the sun had already sunk low into the sky, leaving behind only darkness. Once I was there though, I decided to take over tonight's cooking duties, provided I reached home at time. There were… still a few things I need to do.

"Thanks," I muttered to the cashier, grabbing my bag as I exited the store.

There was someone ridiculously familiar outside the entrance.

"Oh, hey Mr Argent!"

Of course I would stumble upon this scene. I resisted the urge to groan. _Of-bloody-course._

Chris Argent turned around to face me slowly, brows furrowed. I stubbornly refused to look at Derek's expression.

"Hello, Miss…"

"Carter. Madison Carter," I supplied, giving him a small smile. "I'm a friend of your daughter's."

"Allison's friend?" Subtly, he exchanged glances with his two cronies. Something in his demeanour shifted – I'd categorize it as his father persona taking over. "What are you doing out here all alone? There's a curfew in…" He glanced at his watch. "Half an hour."

"I needed some groceries. Mrs McCall has a night shift and Scott's rubbish at cooking, so…" To appease his too-discerning gaze, I even raised the bag in my hand and dangled it slightly. "I should be back home before the curfew though. My house is close by."

"You sure you don't want a ride?"

I nodded quickly, watching the way his gaze had shifted to Derek. Mostly, I was surprised he'd even leave me alone with him, but then again, he _knew_ Derek wasn't dangerous enough to murder innocent townspeople. It was still a little weird though. Then without another word, he stalked back to his car.

And of course, a certain werewolf couldn't let things be.

"You forgot the oil."

Bloody fucking hell, Derek! I had just saved your car from being mauled!

Mr Argent stopped, turned, and gave him his typical half-smile. Before he could speak though, I rushed in to save the situation with a frown. Let it be noted that I wasn't too fond of violence and smashing of pretty cars.

"I thought it was self-service."

Once again, everyone was looking at me. Colour rushed to my cheeks. "I mean, that's what the sign says…" I muttered, shifting my weight from one foot to another.

At that, Chris barked out a short laugh. "You're right, Madison. Derek here… just seems to be a little confused."

His gaze shifted to Derek and the sheer animosity in the air made goose bumps rise on my arms. They truly hated each other. But thankfully, with nothing more than a mocking salute, he went back to his car. Gravel crunched as the two cars drove away and I let out the breath I'd been holding in.

I had just turned to make my merry way home when –

"Get in the car."

Suddenly, all my attempts to stay away from him had been nullified. Once again, I cursed Scott's laziness. But I wasn't about to go down without a fight.

"No."

Derek stalked towards me, eyes still livid. An after-effect of his encounter with Chris, I assumed. "Madison. Get. In. The. Car."

" _No_." I bit out, meeting his eyes. "I'm not going anywhere with you."

" _Madison_."

Clearly, he thought that repeating my name like a certain constipated male lead would make me sway, but obviously he was wrong. I only frowned at him, clutching my bag closer, secure in the knowledge that he wouldn't do anything in the open streets.

"I'm not going anywhere with a guy who dresses like a serial killer." A flimsy excuse, even for me. "Besides, Scott doesn't trust you and neither do I."

Something shifted in his pretty eyes. "Liar," he declared suddenly, almost making me drop my bag.

I scowled. "Excuse me?!"

"I can hear your heartbeat. You're lying," His voice had taken on a smug tone I hated on the spot.

"I'm not lying!" I was totally lying. Scott might not trust him, but I knew he wouldn't harm me. However, I didn't quite trust _myself_ when it came to him. He'd have questions. I _knew_ he'd have questions. I had nightmares about the very thing. "I don't care. I'm still walking."

"Alright," He bobbed his head in agreement, looking far too certain. "I'll follow you then."

"In your car?" I asked skeptically, wondering how much of a stalker he'd look like.

"On foot."

"I'll run," I threatened, realizing a tad bit too late that my threat was entirely useless.

"You can certainly try."

Truly, he was pissing me off.

"Why is it so necessary for you to drive me home? I'm a big girl, y'know," I stalled, wondering if there was any other way to get him off my back. Running away, for obvious reasons, was out of the question. Maybe I could scream and call him a rapist?

Yeah, like anyone would believe me. Dude probably had women propositioning him all the time. At that opportune moment, my eyes fell on his too-tight shirt again and I coloured. _Not_ a good idea to be thinking such things when he was standing right there.

Perhaps not a good idea to think those things like, _ever_.

"It's not safe at night and you know that." Either he was oblivious to the direction my thoughts had taken or he simply didn't care. I'd prefer the latter, honestly. "Now get in the damn car."

I huffed pointedly, slamming his door shut once I'd strapped myself in. Derek didn't say a single word – merely pulled the car in reverse before speeding away. I was sure we were breaking at least 3 rules at the speed he was going.

"Could you… slow down?" After a second, I added: "Please?"

Derek snorted, but _did_ lower the speed. Perhaps by 1km/hr. He sure was considerate.

When I turned to look at him, I could see the way his hands were tight against the steering wheel and the crinkles around his eyes. Green eyes stared determinedly ahead.

Blue, I reminded myself. Derek's wolf eyes were a striking blue. And… they could help.

I tapped my fingernails against his dash, dropping my gaze to the floor of the car. "Mind dropping me elsewhere?"

Derek shifted slightly. "There's a curfew," He reminded in a gruff tone. Too many people liked reminding me about it.

"I know. There's just… something I have to do." When the car continued to roll down the familiar path of Melissa's house, I huffed. "There's someone in trouble, and I just… I think I need to help him. I have a plan and everything. I just need…" _You_. I need you. But that would've been a tad too dramatic to vocalize. Luckily, Derek caught on pretty quickly.

"Are you asking for my help?" He asked flatly, turning to face me. He had his eyebrows raised in that ever so typical sarcastic look. There was the unspoken ' _and after trying your hardest to get away from me'_ hidden somewhere beneath the depth of his eyes. I was sure of it.

I flushed. "Never mind. I'll just… do it myself." And I _could_. I could do it myself. But… it'd be so much easier if he were to help.

Luckily, he took the bait. "What are you planning, Madison?"

"There's this guy in my school," I offered, now running my fingers on his leather seats. Somehow, his car, his presence, was making me extremely jittery. "It's just… I have reason to believe he isn't being treated well at home, so I…" I lifted the small cameras I'd bought recently. I'd basically blown my school supplies budget on them. "I had an idea."

I probably wouldn't have had to stoop to this level if I was sure I could make Isaac go to the Sheriff himself. But… I didn't think it was very likely. Besides, having proof of a crime was the best way to nail it to the wall.

"You're planning to break in," He said the same flat tone, not even bothering to disguise how stupid he thought my plan was.

Too bad, I thought, because I had other worries. Namely, the fact that I was basically throwing Isaac right at him. But… if we could get Isaac away from his Dad, and if he regained some of his confidence, then Derek would have no reason to turn him. He pretty much just turned people with self-esteem issues on the show.

Then I realized how much I was banking on the fact and exhaled deeply. It didn't matter, in the long run. Priority right now was getting Isaac away from his crazy dad. I was sure today, of all days, would be brutal for him. And for some reason, the ' _dungeon'_ in his house kept flashing every time I closed my eyes. I just… couldn't. It wouldn't sit well on my conscience to just… let things be.

I wasn't Jackson, after all. "Yep. I'm planning to break in."

"And if you get caught?"

I gave him a quick smile. "That's what you're there for, right?"

 **{X}**

Derek parked the Camaro at the edge of an abandoned road. Streetlight illuminated us just enough for me to be able to see a sliver of his face.

"Just to be clear," Derek drawled, an amused smirk on his face, "You want to break into his house, set up a camera, and then run away?"

"I was thinking of breaking in earlier," I informed him, partially insulted that he'd think so lowly of my intelligence. "But it wasn't really a great option. However, if you're helping, I can enter his house, provide a suitable distraction as you set up the cameras and set up a base to talk to Isaac tomorrow regarding his… father."

"Do you even know where the guy lives?"

Good question, Derek. I knew there was a reason I invited you along aside from your obvious brawn. "We can check that in the phonebook."

"Ah, the phonebook." Dude still sounded too amused. I scowled at him. "And you think I'll help you? Just like that?"

"From the goodness of your heart?" I tried, squinting up at him. Even sitting in a car, he was way taller. "I mean, there's a kid being _abused_."

"Oh, right. The goodness of my heart. Definitely." I had too much sense to take whatever he said to heart, which is why when he turned around to face me intently, I wasn't even phased. "I think I'll need a little more than that."

"How about some friendly, helpful advice?" I flashed him a tight smile. "Namely, while dealing with a certain werewolf."

"You think you can help me with Scott?"

Oh, how the skepticism in his tone _burned_.

"Look," I pinched the bridge of my nose, trying to ignore the fact that I could _feel_ the heat coming off of Derek in waves. "It's just… You aren't the most approachable guy, okay? Plus, Scott needs to feel in control. Your idea of helping him will probably be pushing him out of control – and through nasty ways too. Can you really see anyone agreeing to that?"

"It's the only way he'll learn."

"I know I asked you this before…" _During the time you blew up at me_ , "But have you ever really tried teaching someone? Scott's a good kid, Derek. Give him a chance. He may surprise you yet."

"Give him a chance?" He sounded dubious at best. "This is the same boy who continues to pine after his teenage love. And his teenage love isn't just any girl – she comes from a family of _hunters_."

"Scott _can_ control himself," I reminded quietly. "He managed to exit the party, get in his car and drive all the way home _during the full moon_. He just needs an extra push. And… I'm sure he'll be more inclined to take that push if you were a bit nicer to him."

"So that's your advice? Be nicer?"

"Hey, being nice can go a long way! If Darcy had been nicer from the get-go –,"

"You wouldn't have a book called Pride and Prejudice," Derek finished for me, revving up the engine.

I ignored his quip. "Just promise you'll… at the very least, think about it."

"I don't like making promises," He stared straight ahead, but at the last moment, his eyes flickered to mine. Impossibly green, as always. "But I'll try."

"Great." I sunk deeper into my seat, wondering when the hell he'd become the Robin to my Batman. Or the Batman to my Robin? Details were sketchy. "So… you'll help?"

"As much as I'd love to remind you I have better things to do, I can't just let you go waltzing in to someone's house just like that. Besides…" He paused for a moment, as if deciding how to phrase it. "If I help you, it might help _Scott_ trust me."

"Really? And you aren't just doing it because there's a kid out there being hurt?"

"That's your reason for helping him?"

"Yes." Obviously. And to appease my conscience. And… because I'd seen the after-effects of having abusive parents. Perhaps Isaac wasn't too far gone, but it didn't sit right with me. It couldn't sit right with anyone, not once they knew.

He didn't say anything after that. But I liked to think those were his reasons too. Maybe. The show tended to gloss over the particulates of abuse and harm rather easily, but Derek _had_ helped Isaac, Erica and Boyd. Or failed trying to. Somewhere, beneath the gruff exterior and all the burning hurt, I knew he had a heart.

 **{X}**

I rang the doorbell, counting the seconds until a familiar face opened the door. "Mr Lahey!" I was all-smiles. "Nice to meet you. I'm Madison."

Mr Lahey – or Coach Lahey, as I remembered him, looked nonplussed at my sudden appearance. "Hello. Can I help you?"

It was surprising just how much a show could influence you. To an uninterested observer, he looked like the typical Dad. To me, however, it seemed as if the Devil was hiding beneath his skin.

"Oh, I'm terribly sorry! I'm just so nervous. I'm like, totally dropping here unannounced, but I was hoping I could see Isaac? If it's not too much of a bother."

A few degrees to my right, and partially hidden behind the bushes, Derek rolled his eyes at my dramatics. If Lahey hadn't been standing right there, I would've stuck my tongue out at him.

"Isaac?" Lahey frowned. "Are you aware there's a curfew right now, Madison?"

If only I had a dollar for how many times people reminded me of it. The word had almost stopped sounding like a word altogether.

"I know, I know," I wringed my hands in an uneasy manner. From his eyes, I could see he was eating the ditzy-blonde girl routine right up. "I'm new to this school and I didn't know Mr Harris had assigned Chemistry homework and I don't have the notes! Please, Mr Lahey, could I just ask Isaac for them? I'll go straight home after this, I promise!"

"Right," To his credit, he hesitated only for a second. "Come in. Take a seat. I'll just… call Isaac."

Call Isaac or let him out of his prison? Both were possible. The moment he'd left the room, I ran to the opposite window to unlatch it in order to let a certain accomplice through. When I turned around, Derek was already in the living room.

"Oh, my god," His sudden appearance sent a loud thump through my heart. "Could you never do that? Like, ever again?"

"He's gone downstairs," Derek said, ignoring my ramble. He looked troubled. Then without another word, he stretched, lithe as a cat, to place the small button camera on the overhead vase.

Meanwhile, I'd gone from being terrified to being slightly curious. My eyes shifted between the window and him wonderingly.

"The kitchen window was open," Even his voice sounded extremely _done_. "I'm a werewolf, not a miracle worker, Madison."

"Right," Awkward. Then I could hear footsteps. Mr Lahey entered the room first, closely followed by his son.

Derek, predictably, was long gone.

"Hey Isaac!" I all but chirped, eyeing him as discreetly as I could. This close, nothing _seemed_ wrong, but his clothes were wrinkled and there was sweat lining his forehead. "Remember me? I'm Madison, from Chem class."

Isaac's eyes drifted from his father to me hesitantly. "Yeah. Yeah, I do. You're the new girl."

"Right," I clapped my hands together. "So, I was wondering if you could lend me your notes for tonight. There's that test coming up."

"And you thought of asking _Isaac_ for help?" The stress on his son's name was deliberate – deliberate enough to send Isaac folding into himself slightly, shoulders hunched. It was then that I remembered Coach Lahey wasn't always just physically abusive.

No, sometimes, he dabbled in the mental field too.

"He seemed like a nice guy," I said, shrugging to offset just how serious my tone was. "Besides, I've asked almost everyone else I know and nobody has them. Or if they do, they aren't at home."

Technically true. Everyone apart from Stiles were on a date.

"I see," Lahey's eyes were calculating. "Go get them then, boy! Don't just keep standing there." Once Isaac had scurried off, he turned to me again. "So Madison… Tell me about yourself. I haven't seen you around before." His smile was cold.

I grinned back with the same amount of faux-warmth. "I landed in Beacon Hills with no recollection of how I got there."

"Oh, yes. The amnesiac. The rumour mill is to be trusted at times, then."

"Occasionally."

"And you've settled down well enough?"

"Mrs McCall is a wonderful legal guardian," I said, trying my hardest to not look in the shadows were Derek was loitering. The next moment, he strode towards the bedrooms without a backward glance.

"I – I have them here," Isaac stammered as he entered the room without preamble. He dropped the books into my hands, seemingly taking extra care not to brush his fingers against mine.

And then, because I couldn't help myself, I pointed to his face. "You should put an ice-pack on that."

"Oh, he will," Lahey said loudly, thumping Isaac's back in a show of fatherly camaraderie. "We keep running out of ice in this house. Isn't that right, boy?"

Anyone, I repeat, _anyone_ could sense there was something wrong with the way Isaac looked at his father. But according to Teen Wolf, nobody had ever bothered checking it before. Something clogged up my throat and I felt _sick_.

The feeling persisted all the way until I was safely sequestered in Derek's car, Isaac's books clutched tightly to my chest.

"Are you alright?" Derek finally asked after a long moment of silence. My face must've looked particularly troubled, for I doubt he actually cared about me.

I debated lying. "No," I said finally, bringing the books closer. "No, I don't think I am."

"Good." My eyes snapped up to him in shock. "I'd be surprised if you were. He locks his son up in a fridge."

"And beats him," I added.

Derek merely nodded, jaw clenched tight.

My phone suddenly vibrated, bringing the conversation to a halt. "It's Melissa," I said unnecessarily, before pressing the _Accept_ button. "Hey! No, I'm almost there. Yes, I'm aware there's a curfew. I'm _with_ someone, Melissa. What? No! He isn't –,"

Too late. The car pulled up to the curb and Mrs McCall raised her phone in my direction. She had the look of someone who was about to give a lecture.

"Great. Just _super_ ," I muttered. "Thanks for the ride."

Derek merely hummed in reply.

"And for helping me out. It… was a really nice thing for you to do."

"I didn't do it for you."

"I'm aware." And I was. There were very few people who would turn their backs once they knew someone was being abused at home. Derek wasn't one of them. Though, I reminded myself, he'd be doing his fair share of unintentional abusing soon enough. "You'll check the tapes tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow night," He confirmed. "Talk to Isaac. Try to get him to admit to you he's in trouble."

"Right." I lingered awkwardly. Then deciding there was nothing to it, and mostly because Derek had stopped even looking at me, I slammed his car door shut. On the doorsteps, Melissa waited, hands on her hips. "I don't want to talk about it."

She ignored me. "That was Derek, wasn't it?"

"Yeah."

"We've had this conversation, Madison."

"I know! I was at a friend's –," I raised the notebooks as proof, "And he gave me a ride. That's it."

"Are you sure? Because I was sensing some tension –,"

"There was no tension."

"Just…" She conveyed so much weariness in that one word that I was forced to stop. "Be careful, Madison, alright? I know I'm not home much, and Scott's been telling me you've been super busy picking up all sorts of jobs, but we care, okay? If there's anything you need, anything at all…."

"Thanks, Melissa," I choked out, a little teary at the _warmth_ in her voice. "It means a lot."

"Oh, honey," Without another word, she pulled me into a tight hug. "Everything will work out. You'll see."

As I sniffled into her pretty top, I wanted to argue it wouldn't.

But I could be hopeful.

Right?

Right.

 **{X}**

 **A/N: The one where Madison decides to be proactive.**

 **Check out my new Maze Runner OC fic if you're into that fandom! And my Death Note OC. Actually, I have a lot of OCs.**

 **I feel like there should be a hashtag noshame added somewhere.**

 **ASIDE FROM THAT. Reviewers! Oh my god, you guys. The response to this story has been** ** _insane_** **. Do let me know your thoughts about the above chapter. And whatever Maddy's up to. I'd love to hear what y'all think.**


	5. Chapter 5

"Maddy! Wake up!" Someone's obnoxiously loud voice rolled off me. I tried shrugging it off all the way until he started poking my sides. " _Madison_!"

"Ugh!" I shot up with a groan. "Could you not? I'm ticklish!"

"Really?" Scott looked torn for a minute, as if he was actually considering taking advantage of my weakness before realizing that my shirt was halfway up my chest. Instantly, he averted his eyes. "Could you… I don't know, cover up?"

"It's not like I asked you to be here!" I snapped, hurried pulling my shirt down. I'd always been a messy sleeper. "What do you want?" I demanded, once I was fully covered.

"I went to meet Derek last night."

"Good for you," I muttered, yawning. A quick glance at the clock told me it was 1 in the night. That _jerk_. "Is that why you woke me up from what was a deep, blissful slumber? I'm going back to sleep."

"No, hey, wait!" He grabbed my covers, throwing them away. "He said he didn't kill the bus driver or his sister."

"Okay. Do you believe him?"

"I don't know." Scott looked conflicted. "He also told me he wasn't the one to bite me. Apparently, there's another one. An Alpha."

"Great," I said drowsily, still completely uninterested in whatever he had to say. "Perfect."

"That's not why I'm here though!" Scott said quickly, as if realizing how far gone I was. "I'm here because Derek mentioned you. Why do you keep meeting him?"

"It's not like I want to! Dude's just… always everywhere."

"Mom still thinks you're dating him, by the way. Madison… You need to stay away from him. He's dangerous!"

Not this again. Seriously, as much as I loved Scott, I hated how unreasonable he was at times. "Look," I said finally, running my fingers through my hair, "I didn't plan on running into him. Don't look at me like that! I'm serious. But I did, and he helped me out. Yep, that's right. _He_ helped _me_. Honest-to-God. He wasn't very snarky about it either."

"Helped you with what?"

That's when I sighed, rubbing my fingers across my face. It looked like I wouldn't be getting much sleep anyway.

"You should sit down. It's kind of a long story. Remember Isaac Lahey…?"

 **{X}**

"Thanks for the ride, Melissa!" I called out to the speeding car. In the rearview mirror, I could see Mrs McCall smile as she sped past.

Honestly though, I think I needed to find my own ride. Stiles was my designated chauffeur after school, but that could only work for so long. Besides, our timings didn't always match.

"Madison!" A girly voice rang to my left, and then Lydia roped her arms through mine. "Just the girl I was looking for."

"Hey Lydia," I smiled back, trying to ignore just how perfect she looked. Frankly, everyone around me looked stunning. It was doing _wonders_ for my ego. "What's up?"

"Well… I wanted to ask you when exactly you were planning on coming over to pick up the clothes. Mum isn't too thrilled because I basically uprooted my entire cupboard –,"

"You didn't have to –,"

"Nonsense. I couldn't find my Prada shoes."

It… surprised me sometimes just how much of a _Lydia_ she was. The rest of the characters, sure, had their moments, but Lydia was by far the most consistent. Personally, I was secretly waiting for the day Derek would come out and braid friendship flowers in Scott's hair. But so far, I'd settle for watching this. "I'll try for today. Although I'm not sure…."

"Oh, your job, right?" Suddenly, she staggered to a stop. "There's Allison! Hey! Allison!"

Allison waved at us from across the lot, before bending down to say goodbye to her dad. And then, just because he was looking at me, I gave him a short wave too. Lydia looked at me weirdly for that. "You know Allison's dad?"

"I met him at the gas station last night."

"So the rumours about you are true, aren't they?" Just as quickly as she'd grabbed my arm, she dropped it, opting to stand a few feet away with a thoughtful look on her face. "You really are into older men."

I promptly sputtered. " _Excuse me?"_

"Small town," She said, waving away the explanation. "Mum mentioned you were dating that guy…. Derek, was it?"

"People gossip about me?!"

"People gossip when a guy whose family got burned alive years ago comes back to town. And they _definitely_ gossip when he's accused of murder and they find out he's dating a girl who is, apparently, under the influence of amnesia. Also, did I mention she's technically a minor?"

….

I swear, for a split second, my brain just froze.

Was… there an actual reason she was telling me all this? As far as I knew Lydia, she was the last person to judge another's romantic pursuits. Hell, a few months down the line, she'd be dating a homicidal, trigger-happy werewolf with severe anger issues.

So… why?

Deciding it was pointless trying to speculate, I decided to simply ask her.

"Seriously?" She raised her eyebrows, pouting in that familiar way. "You're asking me why I'm telling you all this? To let you know that I know, silly!" The distance between us lessened as she smacked my arm lightly. "And to tell you I totally approve. I've seen Derek around – you know, _before_ , and he's totally a catch. The sex must be awesome."

I… _what_?

My dumbfounded expression must've meant something else to her, because she winked lightly in my direction. "Older men are the best, aren't they? All that experience…Don't worry, I won't tell Allison if you don't want me to."

Somehow, I managed to unglue my tongue from the roof of my mouth. "But… I'm not dating Derek."

"Oh, honestly. You don't have to _pretend_. Like I said, I'll keep my mouth shut." She mimed zipping her mouth, still looking mighty pleased with herself. "Oh, there's Allison. What took you so long?"

Allison – pretty, sweet, naïve Allison, shook her hair out of her jacket, pen clutched between her teeth as she opened her bag to drop it back in. "Sorry, Dad was just discussing plans. My aunt's in town, and Scott's coming over so –,"

For the second time in a span of ten minutes, my brain froze.

Kate… was already here?

That meant Derek would be here too. And if Derek came here, he'd hurt Jackson who would use that to connect the dots behind Scott's mysterious skills and then he'd demand a bite and turn into a kanima and –

"Madison? Hey, Madison? Oh, my god, how is she always zoning out?"

In a sharp contrast to Lydia's tone, Allison said: "Are you… okay?"

"Yeah," I exhaled, drawing my bag closer to my chest. "I just… have to go to the bathroom. I'll see you guys around."

I needed to _plot_.

 **{X}**

I leaned against the bathroom stall, head in my hands.

Today was so, _so_ important – important enough to perhaps change the very foundations of Beacon Hills. I didn't know how it hadn't struck me before. Because today, if, somehow, I managed to stop Derek from meeting Jackson in the hallways, there was a high chance Jackson would never find out about werewolves. And if he didn't find out, he wouldn't ask for a bite, and Derek wouldn't bite him.

And there'd be no kanima.

Half of Gerard's tyranny would end right there with that.

As far as I remembered, Derek had met Jackson minutes before the bell had rang, signalling the end of the day. Quickly, I pulled my timetable out, letting out a frustrated groan when I realized my last period was Maths. That teacher did _not_ like me, and if he knew I was skipping…

Actually, wait, so what if he knew I was skipping?

He'd call Melissa? And please, all Melissa would do would be to give me a quick lecture. If nothing else, I could play the amnesiac card.

Making up my mind, I stuff the timetable back in. It was time to attend classes.

 **{X}**

Scott leaned against my locker, trying to look all shades of nonchalant as he looked at Isaac across the hall. "You gonna talk to him?"

"I still have his notes," I said mildly, pulling them out of the locker. "But you're right – I should. Now seems like as good a time as any."

"You want me to come with?"

"No," I shook my head, flashing him a grateful smile nevertheless. "I'm just going to _talk_ anyway. Besides," I added, as the overhead bell rang loudly, "You have class."

"Econ," Scott sighed, "Sometimes, I don't know if Finstock likes me or hates my guts."

"You're his star player. I doubt he hates you."

"Doubtful," Scott said, pushing himself off the wall. "He hates everyone."

I rolled my eyes as he waved me goodbye, shoving my hands into my pockets as I ruminated on how to approach Isaac. I could go, all guns blazing, or I could be myself. Either way, there was no avoiding it. _Stop being a coward_ , a snide voice insisted in my head.

I paid heed to it.

"Hey, Isaac," I greeted, sidling up to him and pretending to _not_ notice the way he had flinched slightly. "Here are your notes."

He took them from me in silence, and I actually thought that was it until he coughed slightly. "There was no test scheduled," He said after a pause.

Stellar observation skills there, Isaac. And oh, my god, the urge to be sassy really needed to stop.

"Yeah, there wasn't," I said instead, reminding myself that insulting someone's intelligence wasn't the way to make an ally out of them.

Isaac merely hummed, letting the silence drag on until: "Then…why?"

If I had been a smarter person, or perhaps even more experienced, I would've recognized the look in his eyes. And perhaps I wouldn't have done what I did next. But as it stood, I was kind of a novice when it came to relationships, and the first thing that came rushing through my mouth was the one thing I should've left alone.

"You're being abused at home," I said flatly, crossing my arms and ignoring the way he had flinched _again_. "So I decided to take a look around."

"I'm – I'm not being –,"

"These bruises on your face?" I pointed at the tell-tale markings. "This looks like someone's handprint. Also, you were limping yesterday, but when I asked Scott, he told me you've been on the bench so far. There's _no way_ you've been hurt at lacrosse practise."

"I'm _not_ being abused at home," Isaac insisted again, eyes wild and panicky. "I don't know how you've come to this conclusion, but I –,"

"Really? How did you get hurt then?"

"I t-tripped." A fine sheen of sweat lined his forehead.

"Look," I shifted on my feet, deciding to take a different mode of approach. "I only want to help, okay? I know the Sheriff, and he's a great guy. He'd love to –,"

"I - I don't know what you're talking about," He stuttered again, shaking his head quickly. "I _told_ you –,"

"Isaac, I only want to help –,"

"You aren't helping!" He yelled suddenly, making me take a step back. Then he slammed his locker shut. "Stay – Stay away from me, okay? Just…" He started taking uncoordinated, clumsy steps backward. "You stay away."

"Isaac –,"

But it was of no use. He'd already gone.

" _Shit_ ," I cursed, slumping against the locker and burying my face in my hands. That could've gone better.

But it didn't matter. The cameras were working, and if not today, then we could break into the house to get them later. With a werewolf on my side, it was easy.

Still, I glanced at the empty hallway. I _definitely_ could've handled this better. That small, nagging guilt in my chest followed me all the way to class, and then some.

 **{X}**

"I kind of need your help," I said, pulling Boyd aside before Maths class. "I'm planning to skive Maths. Need you to cover for me."

Boyd looked nonplussed at my sudden request. "Why do you need to skive?"

"Um… things. You know, this and that. Frick and frack – not, oh my god, not _frick-frack_ frick-frack, just –,"

"Hey, Maddy, it's okay if you don't wanna tell me," Boyd interrupted rather gently, his heavy hands settling on my shoulders to stop my ramble, "I'll still help, y'know?"

A fierce rush of gratitude coursed through my body, bringing almost unbidden tears to my eyes. His easy acceptance was something I'd never faced, in this life or my other. Truly, if I could stop Boyd from dying, I'd consider my work done. He deserved to live.

Hell, _all_ of them deserved to live.

Completely oblivious to my sudden meltdown, Boyd continued: "By the way, you suck at avoiding questions. Might wanna work on that."

Oh, Boyd, you have _no_ idea.

"So, what do you need me to tell her?"

"Just… say I had a headache and that I've gone to the hospital for a check-up. Side-effect of my accident and everything."

"Cool." He hesitated slightly before continuing. "Want me to copy notes for you as well?"

"That'd be much appreciated, yeah," I said, flashing him a quick smile. "Have fun in class!"

"You… have fun doing whatever the hell you're doing. See ya round, Maddy."

I waved back at him as he sped past, hefting my bag slightly once he'd turned around the bend. Then I started walking in the opposite direction, thanking the Gods that I knew where Jackson's locker was. I'd seen him and Lydia making out in front of it often enough.

I loitered in front of it awkwardly for barely two minutes until –

"What're you doing here?"

And _fuck_ , it was my Maths teacher.

"Wait a second," Mr Smith said slowly, tilting his head to the side. "You're Madison Carter, aren't you? You have class with me right now."

"Ahh…" I trailed off, before pressing a hand to my forehead. "I actually have a headache, so if you could excuse me –,"

"Stop right there, young lady!" He snapped, and my feet froze. Shit, shit, shit. "You think I don't know what you're trying to do? I've been watching you for the past five minutes! You're waiting for your boyfriend, aren't you? So you can both skip class and do whatever you kids enjoy doing by being hooligans?"

"Actually –,"

"Not a word!" He grabbed my arm then, and began dragging me along.

"Sir –,"

"Also, Miss Carter?" He continued, ignoring my protests, "Detention. You can help me with the Parent-Teacher Meeting."

Jackson's locker disappeared from view as I was pulled into class.

And _shit_ , nothing was going right today. I rubbed my face with my hands, frowning.

Boyd gave me a sympathetic look as I dropped into my seat.

 **{X}**

There were five minutes for the bell to ring. I raised my hand.

"No, Miss Carter," Mr Smith said coolly before turning back to the blackboard.

"But –,"

"I said _no_."

 **{X}**

Two minutes later, the Principal walked into our class. "Mr Smith, I need to talk to you."

"I'm in-between a class, Sir."

"Oh, Frank, let them go." He rolled his eyes, before giving us a small wink. "Two minutes won't hurt anyone and it's kind of urgent."

Seriously, this was the guy Gerard had harassed? My hatred for the geriatric old man flared anew.

"Very well, then." Mr Smith's nose curled slightly. "Off you go, then. Oh, and Madison?" My feet halted – I'd pretty much been the first one to shoot out of my seat. "I better see you around during the Meeting."

I bit back the urge to groan. "Yes, sir."

And then I was out, pretty much running through the corridors. When I turned around the bend, the area in front of Jackson's locker was empty.

My feet didn't stop, however.

Because there was a slumped body a few feet away.

"Derek!" I shouted, running towards him. Luckily, the corridors were empty, because I'm sure I looked a lot like those fancy damsels in period novels who run after their beaus. The thought made me wrinkle my nose as I knelt down next to him. "Are you okay?"

"Do I… look okay?" Oh, it _was_ bad. His voice was scratchier than anything the show could've turned it into. Colour was leeching off his face – he already looked pallid and lifeless. There was also residual blood on his nails.

 _Fuck_.

"Yeah, fair point," I acknowledged, trying to wedge my arm underneath his. After a moment, I gave up. He was far too heavy. "You need to help me here. Just… try getting up."

His head shot up suddenly, eyes wild and restless. It actually was like an animal being cornered. "Madison?" He asked suddenly, as if just realizing I was there. "What're you doing here?"

"I go to school here," And oh my god, my mouth needed to shut up. This wasn't the time to be sassy. "Listen, you need to get up." I looked around hurriedly. "Everyone's going to be coming out soon. Get up and I can take you home –,"

"I can't go back there," He said shortly, almost deliriously. He'd been listening in, I remembered suddenly, to a different conversation. Lydia and Allison – discussing the study date with Scott. I needed him to –

The bell suddenly rang, loud and sharp and clear.

He covered his ears instantly, shrinking into himself until it stopped. Meanwhile, I'd grabbed his arm again, pulling against his jacket. "Come on, then. Let's get out of here." He wavered dangerously as we started moving forward, luckily supporting most of his weight himself. Then just as quickly, he threw that arm I'd been holding around my shoulders.

I'm not proud to say that if it wasn't for his grip, I would've gone plummeting straight to the ground.

"Wow," I breathed, squished against him uncomfortably as we tried to find a rhythm. "You're fat."

That earned me a brief snort. Which, in a way, helped calm my nerves – because if he was lucid enough to scoff at my words, then he would be okay, right? In the show, he was okay. Oh, my god – what if, this time, he actually did have to cut his arm off?

Or if he died?

I derailed the thought before it could take off, focussing more on navigating the steps. Derek's heady, male scent surrounded me – accompanied by the distinct, pungent smell of _death_. Dying, my brain chanted again, unhelpfully. Dying, dying, _dying_.

I received a few odd stares as we staggered across to Stiles' car – including a bemused look from Boyd as we swept past. I gave him what I hoped was a reassuring grin. Then Derek suddenly wobbled again, and both of us slammed against the car as his weight gave way, his arm dragging me down with him.

"Shit," I cursed, letting my bag slip off my arms as I tried to steady myself. Or rather, steady _us_. It took all my strength to disentangle myself from him, and once I was done, he fell straight to the ground with a loud _thud_ , face first.

Oops.

The sudden, reassuring whistling in the background stopped, followed by: "Madison?"

It was Stiles, his car keys still in his mouth. With a sheepish look, he dropped his hand.

"Stiles!" I almost hugged him. _Almost_. "Thank god you're here! It's Derek!"

"I can see that," With an almost imperceptible shake of his head, he rolled his eyes. "What's he doing on the ground? Is this a wolf thing I'm unaware of?"

"I think he's hurt," I bit my lip. "Look, can you just… help me pull him off the floor? He's kinda heavy."

Stiles still looked mighty reluctant. "Are you sure you wanna help him, though? Like, if you hadn't noticed, he's causing most of –,"

" _Stiles_."

"Alright, alright, fine, I'll help." Pointedly, he shoved his car keys into the pocket, muttering. "I know I'm gonna regret this."

Between us, we managed to grab either side of his arms and _hauled_. The bicep beneath my hands didn't even twitch as I panted helplessly, only resting once we'd shoved him into the passenger seat.

"I'm gonna get Scott, okay?" Stiles said once we were done, tossing his bag in the back of the Jeep. "Stay here. Keep an eye on him."

Like I had anywhere else to go, I wanted to quip, but I only made a shooing gesture with my hands. I bent down to pick up my bag next, going to imitate Stiles' throw when a hand wrapped around my arm in a vice-like grip.

"Dude!" I almost shouted, my heart jumping to my throat. Derek's glazed over eyes gave me a moment's perusal before going blue. And then flickered dangerously between blue and green. "Derek?"

"Call Scott," He rasped, still not letting go of my arm.

"Stiles is on it," I told him, trying my hardest to not make any sudden movements. They had this saying about wounded animals being twitchy and I wasn't ready to test that yet. "Could you… maybe let go of my arm? You're kinda cutting off my circulation."

He dropped it then, as if burned.

"What're you doing here?" Scott demanded suddenly from behind. Beside him, Stiles panted loudly.

"I was shot," Derek rasped again, looking worse than before. His skin looked ashen.

"He's not looking so good, dude."

Scott gave him a _look_ – one that screamed ' _No shit, Sherlock_ ' before turning back to our resident werewolf. "Why aren't you healing?"

"I can't," Almost unconsciously, he rubbed against his right arm. Which was the arm, I realized guiltily, that I'd pulled at while hauling him into the car. "It was – It was a different kind of bullet."

"A _silver_ bullet?" Stiles asked eagerly, leaning forward.

"No, you idiot." The scene would've made me smile if it wasn't for how dire it was. Funny, how sitting in front of a TV screen makes you so apathetic to most things.

"That's what she meant! When she said you had 48 hours!"

"Who?"

"The one who shot you, obviously," I muttered, hijacking the line. "What?" Scott gave me a look too. Perhaps somewhere along the lines of ' _Must you be so sassy, he's dying'._

Really, Scott, he wasn't going to die. He had you – resident hero and True Alpha.

Not… that that was encouraging, given where I was standing.

Derek groaned again, eyes flickering. I promptly took a step back. "You guys see that? I'm scared of that."

"I won't hurt you, Madison," Derek said suddenly. I flinched slightly, not realizing he'd been paying attention to my nervous babbling. His eyes drifted to Scott. "You need to find out what kind of bullet she used."

"How the hell am I supposed to do that?"

"She's an Argent. She's with them!"

"Why should I help you?!"

Oh dear, déjà vu had never been so strong.

"Because you need me," Derek said simply. And he was right, sort of. Scott _did_ need Derek to help him kill Peter. But then again, Derek needed Scott just as much. Symbiotic relationship, I'd call it.

"Fine," Scott exhaled, even as I pushed past him to enter the back of the Jeep.

"What?" I demanded when the two of them raised their eyebrows at me. "I need a ride to Deaton's, and I don't want to walk."

"Just get out of here." Scott actually rolled his eyes.

"I hate you so much," Stiles declared, starting the car.

 **{X}**

"Right," I muttered, trying to not stare at Derek as he took off his jacket. "Dr Deaton's please."

"Are you serious?" Stiles demanded, actually whirling around to face me. "We have to take this guy home! He's ruining my car!"

"Home?" Derek asked suddenly, "Whose home?"

"Yours, obviously."

"What? You can't take me there!"

"Seriously?! I can't take you to your own house?"

"No. Not while I can't protect myself."

"Alright, boys!" I interrupted, my voice saccharine sweet. "Since you have nowhere to go, and nothing to do apart from bickering like teenagers, can you take me to the Animal Clinic? Some of us have _jobs_."

"You can't leave me here alone with him!" Stiles exclaimed, thumping his hand against the dash. "He's bleeding all over my car! You need to help me."

"As much as I'd love to," I began, faltering when Derek uncovered his arm to show us the festering, gaping hole in his skin. "That's disgusting, by the way."

Stiles echoed my comment, almost gagging as the Jeep was filled with the scent of rot and pus.

"Is… A normal bullet can't do that, right?" I asked hesitantly, wondering if there was a way to steer them towards the _right_ one. I mean, what if Scott couldn't find the bullet this time round? "I mean, there are probably very few bullets out there that can do that."

"I don't trust the Argents," Derek said shortly, rolling his arm. "And neither should you." In the mirror, I saw his eyes flicker to mine.

Right… Sufficiently chastised, I leaned back into my seat.

If he didn't want my help, I sure wasn't offering it. Petty, yes, but he'd be fine. Worse comes to worse, they'd cut his arms off. He wouldn't actually _die_.

And wow, that was cold. I wrapped my arms around myself, as if warding from the proverbial chill. Honestly, what could I do? So far, I'd utterly failed at saving Jackson.

"So…" I took a deep breath, "Deaton's?"

 **{X}**

Around 8, Dr Deaton finally, _finally_ picked up his bags. "Thanks for the extra help, Madison!" He called out from the adjacent room while I started putting the boxes back into their places. "I promise, we're not usually open for so late –,"

"It's fine," I smiled, leaning down to top up an empty bowl of water, "Besides, it isn't exam season yet."

"Ah, yes, exams. I remember those days."

"Do you?" I asked teasingly, before straightening. "They must've been a long _long_ time ago~" I added as I walked into the reception.

Deaton only laughed slightly, shaking his head. All in all, he was a pleasant person to work with. He was always ridiculously calm, put together and often, quite funny. They didn't show the latter in the show much.

"Alright then, young lady. Are you leaving now?"

"Nah," I brushed my hands against the counter. "I still have to put the dog food back. I'll lock the door on my way out."

"Okay," He called out a crisp _Goodnight_ as he left, and it wasn't until I'd heard his car speeding away that I opened my cellphone.

 _Coast is clear._

 _Awesome. See you in five._

I exhaled slightly, leaning against the counter as I waited. Honestly, it _had_ crossed my mind that we could've used Deaton's help, but then again, I doubted it. We needed the bullet. We needed _Scott_ to find the bullet. There was probably no way around it.

And if there was, well, I'd already blown that opportunity.

Seconds later, the bell chimed as Stiles dragged Derek inside, his body stumbling beneath Derek's muscled weight. If I was the kind of person who shipped Sterek, I would've been taking a photo, I thought with a quirk of my lips as I leaped forward to help them. Between us, we finally managed to drop Derek against the operating table.

Derek groaned painfully as the edge of the table brushed against his wound.

"I'm sorry!" I breathed against his skin, still struggling beneath his weight. Then Stiles took pity on me.

"Call Scott," Derek breathed, ignoring my apology. His frantic eyes met mine. "Call Scott now."

I promptly rushed towards the cellphone. Stiles promptly opened his mouth.

"You're in no position to be giving orders okay, buddy? The way I see it –,"

" _Stiles_!"

"Ugh, fine, we'll help your boyfriend!" He snatched his phone from my hands, fingers flying across the keypad. "And for the record, I don't care if he helped you with Isaac – oh, hey buddy!"

I completely missed the rest of the conversation as my phone rang suddenly.

"Hello?"

 _"Madison?"_

"Yeah," I rolled my eyes as Stiles made a show of mouthing ' _Who is it'_. "Who's this?"

 _"It's um… Isaac."_

I almost dropped my phone in sheer surprise. "Isaac?!"

 _"Yeah. Um… So I was wondering… if you'd come for dinner?"_

"Dinner?" I repeated, much like a talking parrot. Then my eyes narrowed. "I thought you never wanted to speak with me again."

 _"It's… my Dad. He thinks you're my girlfriend and he wants to meet you. Properly."_

To be fair, alarm bells were ringing in my head. But then again, it _was_ pretty likely that Coach Lahey thought I had a thing for his son. I'd pretty much dropped at his house after hours to meet Isaac, something no sane person had probably ever done before.

But to what end? Did he _want_ me to date Isaac? Because if we dated, he'd have to know that I'd find the truth out somehow.

Or perhaps… Perhaps he wanted to scare me off him. A few scathing comments, a few ways to put his son down, and no normal girl would want to date Isaac anyway, would she?

My fingers tightened around the phone.

"I'll be there in ten."

"You're leaving us?" Stiles demanded once I'd cut the phone. "Again?!"

"It's for a good cause, I swear," I said, pocketing it quickly. Then I grabbed my bag.

"Madison," Derek rasped suddenly, raising his head. His eyes were sparkling blue. "Don't… do anything."

"It's just dinner," I said flippantly. "Just dinner. I'm taking your car, Stiles."

"You don't even have a license!"

"That's really not going to stop me."

Scott would find the bullet, I told myself as I exited the Clinic. He _would_. Everything had gone according to the show so far, so would this.

Everything _but_ Isaac, I amended, starting the car.

 **{X}**

 **A/N: Whoops.**

 **Btw, I now have a beta - Maddie Rose! Everyone thank her for correcting my stupid mistakes. xD**

 **Y'all should check out my her story too – Caudal Lure. It's a Scott/OC fic and it's awesome. Cheers.**

 **(ALSO IMPORTANT: A lot of you wanna talk pairings. Frankly, this is an open area - I have no pre-decided plans to pair Madison up with anyone. So if you have something in mind, convince me. *winks*)**


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